Importantly, the increase in fold of PTEN expression and decrease in folds of Akt phosphorylation level and MMP2 and MMP9 expressions in the treated HCC cells with metformin on 16-kPa stiffness substrate were evidently weakened compared with those in the controls on the 6-kPa stiffness substrate. This evidence concerns the gene MMP2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.