In 2011, Gaud et al. showed (using NCI-H460 NSCLC cell line and a nude mice orthotopic model) that stable TFPI-2 down-regulation caused an increase of α1 integrin on the cell surface, thus enhancing cell adhesion to collagen IV and laminin, increasing MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression, and promoting cancer cell invasion through the basement membrane. Here, TFPI2 is linked to cancer.