Extract from Moringa oleifera seeds suppresses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-mediated metastasis of gastric cancer by targeting the metastatic suppressor NDRG1

Abstract Metastasis is the major feature of gastric cancer (GC) that contributes to poor prognosis. There is an urgent need to identify novel agents targeting GC metastasis. Moringa oleifera Lam ( M. oleifera ) has long been used by the public as foods for its nutritional and medicinal virtues. However, its anti-metastatic potential against GC remains unknown. Here, we showed that residues of M. oleifera (MO) can specifically suppress metastasis of GC cells at a lower dosage, at least partially through reversing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that a bona fide metastasis suppressor, NDRG1 , was significantly upregulated by MO treatment. Knockdown of NDRG1 by a short interfering RNA dramatically attenuated the anti-metastasis effect of MO in GC cells. Thus, we demonstrate that MO suppresses EMT-mediated metastasis of GC by augmenting the metastatic suppressor NDRG1. Our findings also address the potential therapeutic significance of MO in the treatment of GC metastasis.