MMP14 and cancer: Expression of both proteins has been implicated in malignant behavior including aggressive growth, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells.3, 6, 14 Notably, EphA2 is a substrate of MT1-MMP and can be processed on the surface of cancer cells.9, 18 Proteolytic processing of EphA2 by MT1-MMP eliminates the EphA2 ligand-binding domain and converts it from a ligand-dependent tumor suppressor to a ligand-independent oncoprotein.9 Therefore, the proteolytic processing of EphA2 by MT1-MMP represents a cancer cell-specific event.