MMP9 and cancer: MMP-9 is a protease produced predominantly by neutrophils (N2 neutrophils in mice) and located in its tertiary granules (136) and is involved in elevated cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis induction, tumor growth, inhibition of cancer cell apoptosis, promotion of neutrophil extravasation, and migration into tissues by the degradation of the extra-cellular matrix (137, 138).