RT-qPCR results showed that mRNA levels of BCL2L1 (BCL-XL) and MCL1 (involved in melanoma cell survival)7,18, and MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF (involved in melanoma metastasis and angiogenesis)7,19,20 that can be transcriptionally upregulated by STAT3 were elevated upon LPS or MPLAs stimulation in melanoma cells (Fig. 3a). Here, MMP9 is linked to melanoma.