Still, it is not able to degrade collagen type I. However, the deletion of ADAM9 in fibroblasts resulted in reduced MMP-13 and -14 expression that may account for the reduced processing of collagen type I. Altogether, the data show that the ablation of ADAM9 in the host leads to the altered expression of peritumoral extracellular matrix proteins that generate a more favorable environment for melanoma cell growth. Here, ADAM9 is linked to melanoma.