MMP2 and Hepatic fibrosis: Although the in vivo data showed that simply knockdown of lnc-Hser did not induce liver fibrosis, the expression of genes related to liver fibrosis including Col4α5, Timp1 and Mmp2, the hepatic inflammation including Tnf-α, Mcp1 and Il-6, the mesenchymal markers N-Cadherin and β-Catenin was increased in livers of lnc-Hser-shRNA mice versus NC mice.