MMP9 and colorectal cancer: In summary, these results indicate that the parental gene STEAP3 positively regulates the expression of the lncRNA STEAP3-AS1 in colorectal cancer and that the interaction between the lncRNA STEAP3-AS1 and STEAP3 is involved in chromatin remodelling of the target gene MMP9, thereby promoting the liver metastasis of CRC.