Objective To investigate the effect of lidocaine on the chemotherapy sensitivity of gastric cancer cells by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin axis.

Methods Human gastric cancer cells SGC-7901 in logarithmic growth phase were inoculated into 96-well plates and treated with different concentrations of lidocaine (0, 10, 50, 100, 150, 200 μmol/L) for 24 h. The cell viability at different concentrations was compared. The SGC-7901 cells in logarithmic growth phase were divided into control group, cisplatin group, low concentration lidocaine group (Lido-L group), medium concentration lidocaine group (Lido-M group), high concentration lidocaine group (Lido-H group), high concentration lidocaine + Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway activator SKL2001 group (Lido-H+SKL2001 group). The cell proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of each group were compared by 5-acetylidene-2'deoxyuracil nucleoside (EdU) cell proliferation detection, Transwell assay, and scratch healing experiment. The apoptosis of each group was detected by TUNEL assay. The expressions of apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related proteins in each group were detected.

Results Compared with 0 μmol/L lidocaine, the cell viability of SGC-7901 cells treated with 50, 100, 150, and 200 μmol/L lidocaine was reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the EdU positive rate, the number of cell invasion, scratch healing rate, and expressions of vimentin, N-cadherin, B-cell lymphoma-associated protein-2 (Bcl-2), cyclin D1, scattered protein 2 (DVL2), Wnt family member 3a (Wnt3a), β-catenin (β-catenin) were reduced in the cisplatin group, while the cell apoptosis rate was increased, the expressions of E-cadherin, B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein (Bax), Cleaved-caspase-3 were increased, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with the cisplatin group, the EdU positive rate, the number of cell invasion, scratch healing rate, and expressions of vimentin, N-cadherin, Bcl-2, cyclin Dl, DVL2, Wnt3a, β-catenin were gradually reduced in the Lido-L group, Lido-M group, and Lido-H group, while the cell apoptosis rate, the expressions of E-cadherin, B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein (Bax), Cleaved-caspase-3 were increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the Lido-H group, the EdU positive rate, the number of cell invasion, scratch healing rate, and expressions of vimentin, N-cadherin, Bcl-2, cyclin Dl, DVL2, Wnt3a, β-catenin were increased in the Lido-H+SKL2001 group, while the cell apoptosis rate and expressions of E-cadherin, Bax, Cleaved-caspase-3 were reduced, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Lidocaine may enhance the chemotherapy sensitivity of gastric cancer cells by inhibiting the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin axis.