To better understand the paracrine effect of MKN-45/MALAT1- and MGC-803/MALAT1-secreted IL-6 on fibroblasts, the anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibody was used within rescue assay, which could weaken FAP and a-SMA expression in NFs treated with CM from GC cells with increased MALAT1 (Fig. 5F, P < 0.05). Here, MALAT1 is linked to gastric cancer.