Regarding signaling patterns the majority of factors were expressed at similar levels in the subtypes, and only ANGPT2, MMP2, TIMP1, VEGFA and MMP9/TIMP2 were higher expressed in GBMs of the classical-like subtype.
Luteolin treatment significantly inhibited glioblastoma cell migration, and this effect was associated with downregulated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and upregulated tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2.
Moreover, the expression of MMP-2, its inhibitor TIMP-2 and the tumour invasiveness-related protein SPARC were effectively inhibited by TRAIL in glioblastoma cell lines.
Similarly, U87MG cells engineered to overexpress TIMP-2 at the same levels as U87-C1 cells also demonstrated increased MMP-2 activation, indicating that an increase in physiological levels of TIMP-2 can promote MMP-2 activation and invasion in glioblastoma cells.