MMP9 and hepatocellular carcinoma: For instance, tan IIA blocks the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway to inhibit the activity of MMP2 and MMP9, thereby preventing the metastasis and invasion of human hepatoma cells and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells (Shan et al., 2009; Yuxian et al., 2009; Zhang et al., 2016d).