In vitro migration of gastric cancer cells was also reduced by catalpol; this was accompanied by down-regulation of several proteins that regulate cancer cell migration, including matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA), N-cadherin, Rho kinase-1 (ROCK1) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Here, MMP2 is linked to cancer.