MMP9 and metabolic syndrome: Key gene loci (apart from the loci identified in this study) that mapped to these pathways include KSR1, PIK3C2G, MICAL2, CETP, UST, TMEM120B, ZNF106, ANKRD11, and LAMA4. Gene interaction network analysis revealed extensive interactions between these genes and others that are involved in etiology of dyslipidemia/hypertension/CVD (such as PLG, PLAT, PLAUR, norepinephrine, TNF, MMP9, FYN and SHARPIN), obesity (such as APC and CCND1), T2DM (such as; SUMO2, SMAD2, INS1, WNT1, TGFB1, TRAF2, and CCAR2), and comorbid conditions of metabolic disorders (such as CCND1, TNF, MMP9, and norepinephrine).