趋化因子及趋化因子受体3在自身免疫疾病中的作用

人体在防御和清除入侵病原体等异物时,有一种使白细胞趋集的功能,有一些低分子量的物质能引起这种功能称之为趋化剂或趋化因子。这些小蛋白因其有定向细胞趋化作用而得名。经研究表明,趋化因子受体3（CXCR3）趋化因子可能在自身免疫内分泌疾病中起到致病作用。此外,血清中CXCR3趋化因子的判定可能辅助检测免疫活性。CXCR3和优先参与趋化Th1细胞的因子。该受体连接的趋化因子10（CXCL10）不仅参与白细胞募集,还诱导T细胞增殖的异源体和抗原的刺激。趋化因子10正调节Th1细胞产物并且负调节Th2细胞的产物。免疫反应纤维结合素（INF）产物可增强特异的炎症反应。当被激活或者发现炎症和肿瘤细胞后趋化因子受体3-B在内皮细胞中表达并且其结合的趋化因子10,趋化因子9和趋化因子11激活后产生血管抑制作用。     

大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤中诱导CD4＋T细胞募集的趋化因子的表达

目的检测大鼠心肌缺血再灌注中诱导CD4＋T细胞趋化的趋化因子的表达。方法建立大鼠心肌缺血再灌注损伤的实验动物模型,冠状动脉左前降支结扎45 min后恢复再灌,在不同的再灌注时间点0、2、6、9、12 h获取心脏组织（每组4只）,相应时间点的假手术组作为对照。RT-PCR检测趋化CD4＋T细胞的趋化因子的表达;免疫荧光检测趋化因子诱导的CD4＋T细胞的募集;组织学评价心肌细胞的损伤。结果诱导CD4＋T细胞募集的趋化因子的表达在再灌注2 h即迅速增高,随后出现下降。其中,CXCL-10（IP-10）的表达高峰出现在2 h,与其共用同一受体CXCR3的其它两个趋化因子CXCL9（Mig）和CXCL11（I-TAC）的表达,分别在再灌注12 h和9 h出现另一高峰。受趋化因子的诱导,组织中浸润的CD4＋T细胞逐渐增多;心肌的缺血再灌注损伤也随之不断加重。结论诱导CD4＋T细胞募集的趋化因子,通过CD4＋T细胞介导的免疫损伤作用,最终导致了心肌的梗死。     

SDF-1/CXCR4轴在缺氧缺血性脑损伤中的研究进展

干细胞在许多组织器官显示巨大的细胞分化潜能,其治疗缺血缺氧性疾病成为当前研究的热点。已知局部缺血可诱导干细胞的动员,并能感受组织损伤而定向迁移到损伤区并进行分化。具有趋化因子受体4（CXC chemokine receptor 4,CXCR4）的干细胞迁移到高表达间质细胞来源的因子-1（stromal cell-derived factor-1,SDF-1）的组织区域,这种细胞的迁移运动能被CXCR4拈抗剂所阻断或通过CXCR4的过表达增强迁移的运动。SDF-1-CXCR4轴是体内各种类型的干细胞迁移及细胞在骨髓的滞留和归巢中的重要调节物质。本文就缺氧缺血性脑损伤的骨髓间质干细胞（bone marrow stromal cell,BMSC）治疗,SDF- 1-CXCR4轴在MSCs动员和损伤、修复中的作用作一综述。     

Th17/Treg细胞及其失衡在乙型肝炎致病机制中的作用

我国是乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)高感染率国家,乙型肝炎发病机制十分复杂,宿主免疫调节紊乱是导致不能有效清除病毒、病情迁延不愈的重要原因,其中CD4+T淋巴细胞发挥主要作用。最近,新发现的CD4+T细胞的几种亚群为乙型肝炎致病机制的研究提供了新思路。这些新的T细胞亚群中,有一种被称为Th17细胞,表达转录因子ROR-γt,并分泌各种IL-17因子参与免疫反应。另一种为Treg细胞,表达转录因子Fox P3,主要分泌TGF-β因子,当TGF-β单独存在时,初始的效应T细胞分化为Treg细胞。辅助性Th17细胞(Th17)和调节性T细胞(regulatory T cell,Treg)在分化发育、增殖及功能上有着密切的联系,并参与乙型肝炎的致病过程,对乙型肝炎的发生、发展、及愈后有一定影响。最近的研究表明,Th17/Treg的失调可能参与了乙型肝炎的异常免疫反应,从而导致慢性炎症的形成和HBV的持续感染。本文就Th17细胞和Treg细胞及其失衡在乙型肝炎致病机制中的作用予以综述,为乙型肝炎的免疫学治疗提供理论基础。     

Toll样受体调节树突状细胞中腺苷受体A2B亚型的表达及功能

树突状细胞（dendritic cell,DC）表面所表达的腺苷受体A2B亚型（ADOR-A2B）可促进DC对辅助性T淋巴细胞（T helper cell,Th）的激活,导致自身免疫性疾病的发生或加重. 本文旨在研究作为免疫反应的诱导分子Toll样受体（Toll-like receptors, TLRs）是否可调节ADOR-A2B在DC中的表达并籍此影响其功能. 体外诱导小鼠骨髓细胞分化为树突状细胞（BM-DC）,以多种TLRs的配体,Pam3csk4、polyIC、LPS及CpG进行干预. 提取细胞总RNA,real-time PCR测定ador-a2a、ador-a2b的表达;放射性配体结合实验测定BM-DC对3H 腺苷结合能力的变化.以LPS及选择性ADOR-A2B激动剂BAY 60-6583协同干预BM-DC,ELISA测定培养基中IL-1、IL-6及IL-12的含量. 以干预后的BM DC刺激naive CD4细胞,ELISA测定培养基中IL-17A、IFNγ的含量,荧光抗体染色及流式细胞仪分析检测CD4细胞的分化. 结果显示, TLR 4的配体LPS可显著提高BM DC中ador-a2b的表达及对腺苷的结合能力. BAY 60-6583与LPS相协同可刺激BM DC分泌多种致炎因子,并增加其诱导CD4细胞向Th1及Th17分化的能力. 由此可见,Toll样受体可上调ador-a2b在DC中的表达,并可籍此增加DC分泌促炎因子的能力及对CD4细胞的刺激作用.     

CXCR3及其配体介导的抗病毒免疫

CXCR3是ELR阴性的CXC亚家族趋化因子MIG、IP10及ITAC共用的受体,主要在活化的Th1细胞表达.MIG、IP10及ITAC作为CXCR3的配体,通过趋化及活化表达CXCR3的细胞而参与疾病的发生和发展.在病毒感染过程中CXCR3与其配体相互作用,介导抗病毒细胞免疫应答的同时,可能导致病毒感染的器官免疫病理性损伤.     

小鼠胎肝间充质干细胞在缺血脑组织中迁移机制的研究

目的：探讨小鼠胎肝间充质干细胞（flMSCs）在缺血脑组织中迁移的机制。方法：分离和培养小鼠flMSCs,制备小鼠脑缺血再灌注模型,RT-PCR方法检测小鼠flMSCs表达的趋化因子受体及其唯一配体基质细胞来源因子1α（SDF-1α）在缺血损伤脑组织中的n1RNA表达;Westernblot检测SDF-1α蛋白在缺血损伤脑组织中的表达;免疫组织化学检测SDF-1α在缺血损伤脑组织中的表达和分布;Boydenchamber法进行SDF-1α诱导flMSCs迁移的体外实验。结果：flMSCs经RT-PCR检测表达趋化因子受体CR1,CR3,CXCR1,CXCR2,CXCR3,CXCR4。脑缺血损伤侧脑组织SDF-1αmRNA表达显著增高,与正常脑组织SDF-1αmRNA比,具有显著差异（P〈0．01）,Westernblot检测显示缺血侧脑组织SDF-1α蛋白表达量在12、24、48h分别为0．35±0．05,0．88±0．04,0．74±0．07,与正常脑组织SDF-1α蛋白（0．22±0．04）比,差异有显著性（P〈0．01）。免疫组织化学检测显示,缺血损伤后24h,缺血侧脑皮质,海马等缺血边缘区SDF-1α表达显著增高,缺血对侧及正常脑组织未见明显SDF-1α表达。体外迁移实验显示SDF—1α体外可以趋化flMSCs发生迁移,CXCR4阻断抗体可以阻断SDF—1α诱导flMSCs发生的迁移。结论：SDF-1α可以诱导flMSCs发生迁移,趋化因子受体CXCR4及其配体SDF-1α的相互作用是flMSCs在缺血损伤脑组织中迁移的机制之一.     

异位（过）表达PGRN抑制IL-1β引起的髓核细胞损伤

炎症因子IL-1β是引起髓核细胞功能异常的关键因素之一。颗粒体蛋白原（progranulin,PGRN）是一种多功能生长因子,在组织修复、炎症反应等过程中发挥重要作用,但其在髓核细胞中的作用尚不清楚。本研究以IL-1β诱导的髓核细胞炎性损伤模型为研究对象,探讨PGRN对IL 1β诱导的髓核细胞损伤的保护作用及其机制。基因转染结合MTT方法证明,与IL-1β处理的细胞比较,过表达PGRN可逆转IL-1β引起的原代培养的髓核细胞生长抑制,促进细胞增殖。TUNEL技术和流式细胞分析显示,PGRN抑制IL-1β诱导的髓核细胞凋亡。Western印迹和RT-qPCR方法揭示,与IL-1β处理的细胞相比,过表达PGRN显著上调聚蛋白聚糖（aggrecan）和II型胶原（collagen type II）的蛋白质表达,但下调基质金属蛋白酶-13（MMP-13）、分解素-金属蛋白酶ADAMTS-5的表达,同时抑制IL-1β诱导的炎性因子IL-6、IL-8和TNF-α的表达,说明PGRN可缓解IL-1β引起的炎性反应,并减少细胞外基质（ECM）相关蛋白质的降解。此外,过表达PGRN还可降低p65、p-IkB a和β-catenin的蛋白质表达水平,提示PGRN可抑制IL-1β下游TNF-α介导的NF-κB信号途径及β-catenin途径。总之,上述结果提示,过表达PGRN可通过抑制IL-1β诱导的炎性反应、髓核细胞凋亡及基质代谢紊乱,缓解IL-1β诱导的髓核细胞损伤;PGRN的这种抗炎、抗基质降解作用可能与PGRN参与调控NF-κB和β-catenin信号途径有关。     

髓样细胞触发性受体-1基础研究与临床应用

髓样细胞触发性受体-1（triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1,TREM-1）是表达于中性粒细胞、单核细胞与巨噬细胞表面的免疫球蛋白家族胞膜受体。有研究显示,TREM-1能够放大模式识别受体介导的炎性反应,在全身炎性反应综合征（SIRS）中发挥重要作用。TREM．1在慢性炎性活动期、恶性肿瘤等病理过程中也有不同程度上凋。以TREM-1为靶点的靶向药物有望对上述疾病治疗产生重大影响。同时,游离型TREM-1（soluble TREM-1,sTREM-1）可作为判断多种疾病预后的重要指标。     

细胞质内微环境直接影响FGFR1酪氨酸激酶介导的SNT1细胞特异性磷酸化

成纤维细胞生长因子受体（FGFR）介导的SNT1（亦称为FRS2）底物磷酸化具有宿主细胞以及受体特异性。为探明这种宿主细胞特异性的决定因素,我们构建了1个FGFR2IIIb/R1嵌合受体。该嵌合受体具有1个FGFR2IIIb的胞外片段及1个FGFR1蛋白质酪氨酸激酶片段。当表达在3T3细胞（内源性受体为FGFR1并能强烈响应FGFR1）的信号）以及DTE－R1／100细胞时,该嵌合受体能即刻诱导SNT1磷酸化。DTE－R1／100细胞为经长期培养的带有外源性FGFR1的非恶性前列腺肿瘤上皮细胞（DTE）并已获得未转化DTE细胞所不具备的FGFR1信号响应性。与此相反,当表达在非转化DTE细胞或未经长期培养的FGFR1(DTE-R1)锂,FGFR2IIIb/R1嵌合受体则无法诱导SNT1磷酸化。我们曾报导DTE细胞对FGFR1介导的SNT1磷酸化活力及其刺激细胞生长信号的响应性是一种获得性的性质,这种性质的获得与细胞恶化是紧密联系在一起的。在此我们进一步证明FGFR介导的SNT1磷酸化具有宿主细胞特异性。这些结果表明细胞内围绕着激酶的微环境而不是细胞外环境决定了SNT1是否可为FGFR1所磷酸化。而且,长期受外源性FGFR1刺激诱发DTE细胞内微环境的变化,从而使表达在DTE细胞里的FGFR1激酶可强烈地磷酸化SNT1。     

CXC chemokines and their receptors: a case for a significant biological role in cutaneous wound healing

Wound healing requires a complex series of reactions and interactions among cells and their mediators, resulting in an overlapping series of events including coagulation, inflammation, epithelialization, formation of granulation tissue, matrix and scar formation. Cytokines and chemokines promote inflammation, angiogenesis, facilitate the passage of leukocytes from circulation into the tissue, and contribute to the regulation of epithelialization. They integrate inflammatory events and reparative processes that are important for modulating wound healing. Thus both cytokines and chemokines are important targets for therapeutic intervention. The chemokine-mediated regulation of angiogenesis is highly sophisticated, fine tuned, and involves pro-angiogenic chemokines, including CXCL1-3, 5-8 and their receptors, CXCR1 and CXCR2. CXCL1 and CXCR2 are expressed in normal human epidermis and are further induced during the wound healing process of human burn wounds, especially during the inflammatory, epithelialization and angiogenic processes. Human skin explant studies also show CXCR2 is expressed in wounded keratinocytes and Th/1/Th2 cytokine modulation of CXCR2 expression correlates with proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes. Murine excision wound healing, chemical burn wounds and skin organ culture systems are valuable models for examining the role of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in wound healing.     

CXCR4/CXCL12 在肿瘤中的研究进展

研究表明趋化因子及其受体在胚胎发育、干细胞迁移以及各种免疫反应中发挥重要作用,是许多生理及病理过程中细胞运动的重要因素。趋化因子受体CXCR4是一个由352个氨基酸构成的、7次跨膜的G蛋白偶联受体。趋化因子CXCL12为其特异性受体。研究发现,CXCR4/CXCL12在多种肿瘤中都有表达,在肿瘤的生长、血管生成、转移等方面发挥着重要作用。与正常组织相比,肿瘤组织及转移灶CXCR4高表达。因此,对CXCR4/CXCL12轴在肿瘤病生理中的作用机制进行进一步研究,很可能为肿瘤的治疗及对肿瘤转移的预防提供一个新的思路。我们现在就对其在肿瘤病生理中的作用做一综述。     

CCR2 expression correlates with prostate cancer progression

Although the primary role of chemokines and their receptors is controlling the trafficking of leukocytes during inflammatory responses, they also play pleoitropic roles in cancer development. There is emerging evidence that cancer cells produce chemokines that induce tumor cell proliferation or chemotaxis in various cancer types. We have previously reported that MCP-1 acts as a paracrine and autocrine factor for prostate cancer (PCa) growth and invasion. As the cellular effects of MCP-1 are mediated by CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), we hypothesized that CCR2 may contribute PCa progression. Accordingly, we first determined CCR2 mRNA and protein expression in various cancer cell lines, including PCa and other cancer types. All cells expressed CCR2 mRNA and protein, but in PCa, more aggressive cancer cells such as C4-2B, DU145, and PC3 expressed a higher amount of CCR2 compared with the less aggressive cancer cells such as LNCaP or non-neoplastic PrEC and RWPE-1 cells. Further, we found a positive correlation between CCR2 expression and PCa progression by analyzing an ONCOMINE gene array database. We confirmed that CCR2 mRNA was highly expressed in PCa metastatic tissues compared with the localized PCa or benign prostate tissues by real-time RT-PCR. Finally, CCR2 protein expression was examined by immunohistochemical staining on tissue microarray specimens from 96 PCa patients and 31 benign tissue controls. We found that CCR2 expression correlated with Gleason score and clinical pathologic stages, whereas lower levels of CCR2 were expressed in normal prostate tissues. These results suggest that CCR2 may contribute to PCa development.     

Natural Killer Cells Are Characterized by the Concomitantly Increased Interferon-γ and Cytotoxicity in Acute Resolved Hepatitis B Patients

Natural killer (NK) cells are abundant in the liver and have been implicated in inducing hepatocellular damage in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, the role of NK cells in acute HBV infection remains to be elucidated. We comprehensively characterized NK cells and investigated their roles in HBV clearance and liver pathology in 19 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and 21 acute hepatitis B (AHB) patients as well as 16 healthy subjects. It was found that NKp46⁺ NK cells were enriched in the livers of AHB and CHB patients. We further found that peripheral NK cells from AHB patients expressed higher levels of activation receptors and lower levels of inhibitory receptors than those from CHB patients and HC subjects, thus displaying the increased cytolytic activity and interferon-γ production. NK cell activation levels were also correlated positively with serum alanine aminotransferase levels and negatively with plasma HBV DNA levels in AHB patients, which is further confirmed by the longitudinal follow-up of AHB patients. Serum pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels were also increased in AHB patients as compared with CHB and HC subjects. Thus, the concomitantly increased interferon-γ and cytotoxicity of NK cells were associated with liver injury and viral clearance in AHB patients.     

Plasma-cell homing

Recent studies indicate that chemoattractant cytokines (chemokines), together with tissue-specific adhesion molecules, coordinate the migration of antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) from their sites of antigen-driven differentiation in lymphoid tissues to target effector tissues. Developing ASCs downregulate the expression of receptors for lymphoid tissue chemokines and selectively upregulate the expression of chemokine receptors that might target the migration of IgA ASCs to mucosal surfaces, IgG ASCs to sites of tissue inflammation and both types of ASC to the bone marrow - an important site for serum antibody production. By directing plasma-cell homing, chemokines might help to determine the character and efficiency of mucosal, inflammatory and systemic antibody responses.     

Kupffer cells hasten resolution of liver immunopathology in mouse models of viral hepatitis

Kupffer cells (KCs) are widely considered important contributors to liver injury during viral hepatitis due to their pro-inflammatory activity. Herein we utilized hepatitis B virus (HBV)-replication competent transgenic mice and wild-type mice infected with a hepatotropic adenovirus to demonstrate that KCs do not directly induce hepatocellular injury nor do they affect the pathogenic potential of virus-specific CD8 T cells. Instead, KCs limit the severity of liver immunopathology. Mechanistically, our results are most compatible with the hypothesis that KCs contain liver immunopathology by removing apoptotic hepatocytes in a manner largely dependent on scavenger receptors. Apoptotic hepatocytes not readily removed by KCs become secondarily necrotic and release high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1) protein, promoting organ infiltration by inflammatory cells, particularly neutrophils. Overall, these results indicate that KCs resolve rather than worsen liver immunopathology.     

Mediators of innate immunity that target immature, but not mature, dendritic cells induce antitumor immunity when genetically fused with nonimmunogenic tumor antigens.

Chemokine receptors are differentially expressed on immature and mature dendritic cells (DC). Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that murine antimicrobial peptides beta-defensins 2 and 3 bind murine CCR6, similarly to inflammatory chemokine macrophage-inflammatory protein 3alpha, and they chemoattract bone marrow-derived immature, but not mature DC. Using various chemokines or defensins fused with nonimmunogenic tumor Ags, we studied their capacity to delivery Ags to subsets of immune cells to elicit antitumor immunity. We demonstrate that DNA immunizations with fusion constructs with beta-defensin 2 or inflammatory chemokines that target immature DC, but not homeostatic chemokines secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine, CCL21, or stromal cell-derived factor 1, CXCL12, which chemoattract mature DC, elicit humoral, protective, and therapeutic immunity against two different syngeneic lymphomas.     

Molecular aspects of rheumatoid arthritis: chemokines in the joints of patients

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic symmetric polyarticular joint disease that primarily affects the small joints of the hands and feet. The inflammatory process is characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells into the joints, leading to proliferation of synoviocytes and destruction of cartilage and bone. In RA synovial tissue, the infiltrating cells such as macrophages, T cells, B cells and dendritic cells play important role in the pathogenesis of RA. Migration of leukocytes into the synovium is a regulated multi-step process, involving interactions between leukocytes and endothelial cells, cellular adhesion molecules, as well as chemokines and chemokine receptors. Chemokines are small, chemoattractant cytokines which play key roles in the accumulation of inflammatory cells at the site of inflammation. It is known that synovial tissue and synovial fluid from RA patients contain increased concentrations of several chemokines, such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-4 (MCP-4)/CCL13, pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC)/CCL18, monokine induced by interferon-gamma (Mig)/CXCL9, stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXCL12, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1)/CCL2, macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha)/CCL3, and Fractalkine/CXC3CL1. Therefore, chemokines and chemokine-receptors are considered to be important molecules in RA pathology.     

Innate detection of hepatitis B and C virus and viral inhibition of the response

Viral hepatitis caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections poses a significant burden to the public health system. Although HBV and HCV differ in structure and life cycles, they share unique characteristics, such as tropism to infect hepatocytes and association with hepatic and extrahepatic disorders that are of innate immunity nature. In response to HBV and HCV infection, the liver innate immune cells eradicate pathogens by recognizing specific molecules expressed by pathogens via distinct cellular pattern recognition receptors whose triggering activates intracellular signalling pathways inducing cytokines, interferons and anti‐viral response genes that collectively function to clear infections. However, HBV and HCV evolve strategies to inactivate innate signalling factors and as such establish persistent infections without being recognized by the innate immunity. We review recent insights into how HBV and HCV are sensed and how they evade innate immunity to establish chronicity. Understanding the mechanisms of viral hepatitis is mandatory to develop effective and safe therapies for eradication of viral hepatitis.     

Enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 by hepatitis B virus infection in liver cells

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of human liver disease, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The prognosis for HCC is largely dependent on the clinicopathological characteristics regarding invasion and metastasis. Enhanced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression has been implicated as playing an important role in metastasis and invasion of HCC. However, the relationship between HBV infection and MMP-9 expression in HCC is currently poorly understood. We report here on a study of the levels of MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression in human fetal liver tissue, rat liver tissue, and Chang, HepG2, and Hep3B cells by gelatin zymography. Among these sources, Hep3B cells, which contain the integrated hepatitis B viral genome, continuously secrete the hepatitis B viral surface antigen, and express HBV genomic RNA, expressed high levels of proMMP-9, and a small amount of active MMP-9 was detected in Hep3B cells as assayed by zymography. We investigated the issue of whether HBV infection affects MMP-9 expression, which is known to play an important role in HCC invasion and metastasis. As a first step, human fetal hepatocyte (HFH) and HepG2 (HCC origin, HBV not detected) cells were subjected to infection with HBV, and the resulting infected cells successfully established are hereafter referred to as HFH-T2 and HepG2-HBV. The expression of MMP-9 was upregulated by the infected HBV in HFH-T2 and HepG2-HBV cells, as assayed by zymography, Northern blot, and Western blot analysis, and small amounts of active MMP-9 were detected in HFH-T2 and HepG2-HBV cells as assayed by zymography. The activation of the immature proMMP-9 to the mature MMP-9 could be induced by plasmin treatment. The activation of proMMP-9 was increased to a greater extent with plasmin treatment than without plasmin in HFH-T2 and HepG2-HBV cells but the addition of recombinant TIMP-1 inhibited the activation of proMMP-9. Finally, the addition of plasmin to the invasion assay using Matrigel resulted in an increase in invasiveness of HFH-T2 and HepG2-HBV cells, as well as MMP-9 activation, but the treatment with TIMP-1 inhibited the invasiveness of HFH-T2 and HepG2-HBV cells as well as MMP-9 activation. We conclude from these findings that HBV infection of hepatocytes and HepG2 cells affected the upregulation of MMP-9 expression and MMP-9 activation and, thus, increased the invasion potential by plasmin. To our knowledge, this is a first report showing that an HBV infection is linked to the upregulation of MMP-9 in HCC.