title: Disulfiram inhibits TNF-alpha-induced cell death.
abstract: Disulfiram, a clinically employed alcohol deterrent, was recently discovered to inhibit caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation. Using LLC-PK1 cells and murine liver as models, we examined if the drug inhibited TNF-alpha-induced cell death. Disulfiram produced dose-dependent inhibition of TNF-alpha-induced cell death as well as caspase-3-like activity. Disulfiram retained 80% of its effect when added 4 h after TNF-alpha. Disulfiram protected the cells from cytokine-induced death for at least 6 days. The cells rescued by the drug preserved the ability to proliferate. The cells died spontaneously after exposure to TNF-alpha for just 70 min. Co-administration of 15 microM disulfiram and TNF-alpha for 70 min prior to their removal abolished TNF-alpha-induced killing, and this was associated with restoration of mitochondrial membrane potential and suppression of reactive oxygen species. Treatment of mice with TNF-alpha and D-galactosamine for 5 h markedly increased hepatic DNA fragmentation and caspase-3-like activity. Disulfiram at 0.6 mmol/kg abolished these effects. We conclude that disulfiram is a potent inhibitor of TNF-alpha-induced cell death in vitro. The underlying mechanisms include stabilization of mitochondrial membrane potential, suppression of reactive oxygen species, and inhibition of caspase-3-like activity. We further conclude that disulfiram inhibits DNA fragmentation in vivo in association with the blockade of caspase-3-like activity.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Rollwagen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hirszel
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; D005688:Galactosamine; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D004221:Disulfiram; D000111:Acetylcysteine