As the silencing of these genes had no effect on cell proliferation (Supplementary Figure S5a–S5b) and down-regulation of MMP-3/MMP-13 inhibited cell migration (Figure 4d), the inhibition of ATM phosphorylation abolishing IL-6's effect on cell migration indicates that the phosphorylation of ATM is involved in IL-6 increasing lung cancer metastasis. This evidence concerns the gene ATM and lung cancer.