Mechanism of SC targeting RhoA regulation and its potential value in gastric cancer therapy

RhoA drives the malignant progression of gastric cancer through cytoskeletal remodeling and the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here, we identified a novel small-molecule inhibitor, (E)-1,9-bis(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)non-3-en-5-one (SC), targeting RhoA through molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) validation. SPR kinetics revealed high-affinity binding (KD = 1.588 μM) with rapid association (ka = 2.769 × 10³ 1/Ms) and slow dissociation (kd = 4.398 × 10^-3 1/s), achieving stable SC-RhoA complex formation. In vitro, SC suppressed RhoA expression, in turn upregulating E-cadherin, downregulating N-cadherin and Vimentin, and inhibiting cell migration (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Scanning electron microscopy confirmed pseudopodia retraction and cytoskeletal collapse. Remarkably, oral administration of SC (50 mg/kg/day) attenuated tumor growth in a xenograft model. These results present SC as a potential dual-action RhoA inhibitor that concurrently disrupts GTPase activity and protein stability, offering a promising therapeutic strategy against gastric cancer.