MMP2 and neoplasm: TIM-1 upregulates protein expression of Snail1, N-cadherin, Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein-family verprolin-homologous protein (waveform protein), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumour cells and downregulates E-cadherin expression, allowing tumour cells to acquire stronger invasive and metastatic capacities (Shamay et al., 2016; Bray et al., 2018; Chen and Zhang, 2021).