MMP9 and Hepatic fibrosis: Anthocyanins isolated from blueberries also provided protection from CCl4-induced liver fibrosis, which was an effect of reduction of ROS formation, suppression of the HSC activity, and downregulation of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, as well as TIMP-1, collagen III, and α-SMA, and upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression [52], while these compounds—occurring in purple-fleshed sweet potato—caused inhibition of the expression of collagens I and III, as well as TGF-β1, α-SMA, and TNF-α in the livers of rats exposed to dimethylnitrosamine [53].