Figure 6.
Role of MMP-3 on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Silencing MMP-3 in A375SM melanoma cells inhibited tumor growth and experimental lung metastases in nude mice, while overexpression of MMP-3 in SB2 cells increased both tumor growth and metastasis. (A) Tumor growth of A375SM cells was significantly reduced after silencing MMP-3; (*P < 0.05). (B) Tumor growth of SB2 cells was significantly increased after overexpressing MMP-3; (*P < 0.05) (C) Six weeks after intravenous injections of A375SM cells, silencing MMP-3 significantly reduced the number of experimental lung metastases; (*P < 0.05). (D) In SB2 cells, overexpressing MMP-3 significantly increased the number of experimental lung metastases; (*P < 0.01).