Interestingly, NKX6.3 induced E-cadherin and γ-catenin expression with a concomitant decline in mesenchymal marker expression, including N-cadherin, Snail, Slug, and Vimentin, suggesting that NKX6.3 is able to inhibit EMT of gastric cancer cells, not only by inducing epithelial differentiation, but also by suppressing mesenchymal phenotype (Fig. 2). This evidence concerns the gene CDH2 and gastric cancer.