▁For ▁instance , ▁M MP - 2 ▁has ▁been ▁imp licated , ▁along ▁with ▁M MP - 9 ▁in ▁cle aving ▁lat ent ▁T G F - β , ▁which ▁has ▁complex ▁interactions ▁with ▁cancer ▁cells . ▁T G F - β ▁generally ▁plays ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁maintain ing ▁t issue ▁home ost asis ▁and ▁prevent ing ▁tum or ▁pro gression . ▁However , ▁gen et ically ▁un stable ▁cancer ▁cells ▁can ▁often ▁e va de ▁reg ulation ▁by ▁T G F - β ▁by ▁alter ing ▁T G F - β ▁re cept ors ▁in ▁down stream ▁signal ing ▁processes . ▁Furthermore , ▁expression ▁of ▁T G F - β ▁is ▁also ▁correl ated ▁with ▁imm une ▁toler ance ▁and ▁may ▁help ▁shield ▁cancer ▁cells ▁from ▁imm une ▁reg ulation . ▁ ▁Ro le ▁in ▁ne ov asc ular ization ▁and ▁l ym ph ang i ogen esis ▁ ▁M MP - 2 ▁also ▁plays ▁an ▁important ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁new ▁blood ▁vessels ▁within ▁tum ors , ▁a ▁process ▁known ▁as ▁ang i ogen esis . ▁This ▁process ▁is ▁essential ▁for ▁tum or ▁pro gression , ▁because ▁as ▁tum ors ▁grow ▁they ▁need ▁increasing ▁supplies ▁of ▁o xygen ▁and ▁nut ri ents . ▁Local ized ▁M MP - 2 ▁activity ▁plays ▁an ▁important ▁role ▁in ▁end oth el ial ▁cell ▁migration , ▁a ▁key ▁feature ▁of ▁ang i ogen esis . ▁Additionally , ▁M MP - 9 ▁and ▁other ▁M MP s ▁have ▁been ▁suggested ▁to ▁also ▁play ▁a ▁complex