MMP9 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Furthermore, cyclin D1 (CCND1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC), Myc proto-oncogene (c-myc) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), the downstream effectors of NF-кB signalling [39], were found to be negatively regulated by hsa-miR-27b, implying that hsa-miR-27b downregulation contributed to NF-кB activation in HCC cells (Fig. 6B).