Objective: Lidocaine, a common local anesthetic in medical practice, exhibits anticancer properties across various tumor types. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of lidocaine on oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Methods: Cell viability and proliferation were assessed through CCK-8 and EdU assays. Transwell assays were used to analyze cell migration and invasion. Immunofluorescence assays were conducted to determine MMP9 levels. In vivo tumor growth was evaluated using a tumor xenograft model, and Ki67 and MMP9 levels were determined using immunohistochemistry. N6 -methyladenosine levels were assessed using dot plots and ELISA. mRNA and protein levels were examined through reverse transcription-quantitative PCR or western blot analysis. The association between IGF2BP2 and caveolin-1 was validated through RIP and luciferase reporter assays.
Results: Lidocaine exhibited suppressive effects on the viability, migration, invasion, and tumor formation of oral squamous cell carcinoma. IGF2BP2 expression correlated with poor survival and was downregulated by lidocaine. Lidocaine reduced caveolin-1 stability by decreasing IGF2BP2 levels. Caveolin-1 overexpression partially reversed the suppressive effects of lidocaine on the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.
Conclusion: Lidocaine exerts an anticancer role in oral squamous cell carcinoma via IGF2BP2-mediated regulation of caveolin-1 stability.
Keywords: caveolin-1; insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2; lidocaine; oral squamous cell carcinoma.
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