Sauchinone prevents TGF-β-induced EMT and metastasis in gastric cancer cells

Sauchinone, one of the active lignan isolated from the roots of Saururus chinensis, was reported to possess diverse pharmacological properties, such as hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, the possible role of sauchinone in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sauchinone on the EMT in gastric cancer cells. Our results demonstrated that sauchinone significantly inhibited transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1)-induced migration and invasion in gastric cancer cells. In addition, sauchinone efficiently suppressed TGF-beta 1-induced EMT process in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, pretreatment with sauchinone dramatically inhibited the activation of PI3K/Akt and Smad2/3 signaling pathways in TGF-beta 1-stimulated gastric cancer cells. In conclusion, our findings revealed that sauchinone inhibits the TGF-beta 1-induced EMT in gastric cancer cells via down-regulation of PI3K/Akt and Smad2/3 signaling pathways. Thus, sauchinone may be a therapeutic agent for treatment of gastric cancer.