SOX2 and cancer: In addition, JYQHD-medicated serum significantly declined GPX4, SLC7A11 (ferroptosis markers), Sox2, Oct4 (cancer cell stemness markers), and COL12A1 expression, while overexpression of COL12A1 significantly attenuated the effect of JYQHD on promoting the ferroptosis and inhibiting the stemness of GC cells, and enhanced the levels of GPX4 and SLC7A11 (ferroptosis markers), Sox2 and Oct4 (cancer cell stemness markers), and COL12A1 (Fig. 11I, J).