MMP9 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Using in vitro cell culture models, exogenous recombinant human FABP4 (rhFABP4) is reported to stimulate HCC cell proliferation and migration via ERK-MAPK- and JNK1/2-dependent signaling pathways [191], and these data are consistent with other studies reporting that 25-hydroxycholesterol promotes HCC metastasis via increases in MMP9/FABP4 [194].