MMP9 and central nervous system cancer: To further investigate the mechanism by which SNHG18 regulates glioma invasion, the protein levels of EMT-associated factors were examined in U251 cells stably overexpressing SNHG18. Enhanced endogenous SNHG18 expression resulted in increased levels of β-catenin, SNAIL, SLUG, Vimentin, N-cadherin, MMP-2, and MMP-9, whereas E-cadherin levels decreased (Figure 3D).