TIMP2 silencing reverses the effect of miR-616 in breast cancer cells. (A) The protein expression of TIMP2 in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with sicontrol or siTIMP2 was detected by western blot analysis. (B) Cell Counting Kit-8 and (C) colony formation assays were used to measure cell proliferation. (D) Cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell assays. Magnification, ×100. (E) The protein expression levels of TIMP2, MMP2 and MMP9 in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with siTIMP2 and/or miR-616 inhibitor were evaluated by western blot analysis. (F) The mRNA expression levels of TIMP2, MMP2 and MMP9 in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with siTIMP2 and/or miR-616 inhibitor were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. *P<0.05. TIMP2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2; miR, microRNA; si, small interfering; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; OD, optical density.