PKD2 and familial pancreatic carcinoma: PKD2 is also able to promote pancreatic cancer cell invasion in three-dimensional extracellular matrix cultures by stimulating expression and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases 7 and 9 (MMP7/9) whereas MMP9 stimulates PKD2-mediated tumor angiogenesis by releasing extracellular matrix-bound VEGF and increasing its bioavailability (Wille et al., 2014).