TIPE-mediated up-regulation of MMP-9 promotes colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis through MKK-3/p38/NF-κB pro-oncogenic signaling pathway

Dear Editor,Colorectal cancer(CRC)is the third most common malignant tumor in human,ranking third in cancer-related mortality.1 Most colon cancer patients die of metastasis.2 Intriguingly,the deregulation of tumor necrosis factorα‑induced protein 8(TIPE)has been shown to play a vital regulatory role in tumor cell growth,proliferation,invasion,and metastasis.3 TIPE is a kind of cytoplasmic protein of 23 kDa.A large number of studies have shown that TIPE is closely related to the development of colon cancer.4 In addition,decreased expression of TIPE was linked to down-regulation of matrix metallopeptidase-1(MMP-1),MMP-9,and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in breast cancer.