VCAN and neoplasm: We have also identified a subset of interactions that are highly conserved across different patients and datasets in paracrine mode, showing that TLR2 is specifically and exclusively upregulated in glioma-associated microglia; in contrast, astrocytes and glioma cells expressed only low levels of TLR2. It is known that versican is a glioma-derived endogenous TLR2 mediator that regulates microglial MT1-MMP expression for tumor expansion [45].