By in vitro and in vivo experiments, IL-33 was also shown to be able to promote growth, invasion and migration of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer cells due to the autocrine secretion of several metalloproteases (MMP3, MMP9, MMP2), IL-6 and CXCR4 via the ST2-ERK1/2 pathway (61, 75). Here, IL33 is linked to gastric cancer.