MMP2 and gastric cancer: The results showed that the overexpression of PAXIP1-AS1 in GC cells increased the expression of epithelial markers (E-cadherin) while decreasing the expression of mesenchymal markers (Vimentin and MMP2) relative to the Control cells; moreover, forced expression of PAXIP1-AS1 and PABPC1 reversed the PAXIP1-AS1-induced suppression of EMT in GC cells, as analysed by western blotting (Fig. 6A).