RT-qPCR results (Fig. 4a) illustrated that, compared with adjacent normal tissues, CRC tissues exhibited decreased expression of miR-29b, mRNA expression of E-cadherin and TSP-1, but increased mRNA expression of ETV4, MMP-2, MMP-9, Vimentin, and VEGF, with no significant change in ERK expression. Here, MMP2 is linked to colorectal carcinoma.