Our results also demonstrate that MIA-602 reduces MMP9 activity in PBMCs exposed to S protein and LPS combination, in agreement with the previously observed inhibitory effect of the peptide in human pleural mesothelioma cell lines, inflamed prostate epithelial cells and LPS-stimulated ciliary epithelial cells (24, 25, 30, 32). The gene discussed is MMP9; the disease is pleural mesothelioma.