MMP9 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Further analysis showed that the combination therapy in HLF cells significantly reduced the expression levels of matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), two key matrix metalloproteinases associated with extracellular matrix degradation and the invasive potential of HCC cells, thus correlating the molecular basis of the functional assays.