FIP-nha, a fungal immunomodulatory protein from Nectria haematococca, induces apoptosis and autophagy in human gastric cancer cells via blocking the EGFR-mediated STAT3/Akt signaling pathway

•FIP-nha, a new FIP discovered beyond Basidiomycota, has been demonstrated a broad spectrum of antitumor activity and cell selectivity against human cancers.•FIP-nha inhibited the growth, induced apoptosis and autophagy of gastric cancer cells through competitively binding to EGFR with EGF to blocking the EGFR-mediated STAT3/Akt pathway.•FIP-nha may be a potential chemotherapy drug that targeted EGFR to treat human gastric cancer.