The anti-alcohol dependency drug disulfiram inhibits the viability and progression of gastric cancer cells by regulating the Wnt and NF-κB pathways

OBJECTIVE: Disulfiram is commonly used for alcohol abuse; however, recent studies have revealed its potential as an anti-cancer treatment. This study investigated the effects of disulfiram on gastric cancer and its underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS: The gastric cancer cell lines MKN-45 and SGC-7901 were used for all experiments. Cell proliferation was investigated using cell counting kit-8, cell migration and invasion were examined using Transwell assays, the proliferation and metastasis related proteins PCNA and MMP-2, respectively, were detected by ELISA. To explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, we also examined levels of proteins involved in the Wnt and NF-κB pathways by ELISA. RESULTS: Disulfiram significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells and decreased PCNA and MMP-2 levels. Additionally, disulfiram-treated MKN-45 and SGC-7901 cells showed reduced expression of Wnt, β-catenin, and NF-κB. CONCLUSION: Disulfiram regulates the Wnt and NF-κB pathways, and thus could be a potential treatment for managing gastric cancer.