MMP2/9-mediated sCD100 release has an important role in regulating intrahepatic anti-HBV CD8 T cell responses, thus mediating subsequent viral clearance during HBV infection.
In this report, we present clinical data obtained from HCC patients indicating that the expression of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) in HCC is associated with an increased expression of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), and matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2), which correlates with a poor prognosis.