The use of tetrathiomolybdate in treating fibrotic, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases, including the non-obese diabetic mouse model.
Tetrathiomolybdate was originally developed for use in Wilson's disease. However, lowering copper levels to below normal levels with tetrathiomolybdate has been found to have efficacy in cancer, probably by turning down signaling by angiogenic cytokines. More recently, we have shown in animals models that tetrathiomolybdate dramatically inhibits pulmonary and liver fibrosis. In other animal models, we have shown that the drug also inhibits liver damage from concanavalin A and acetaminophen, and heart damage from doxorubicin. These studies are briefly reviewed, and we then present data on tetrathiomolybdate's partially protective effect against diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice, an autoimmune model of type I diabetes. Possible mechanisms of tetrathiomolybdate's protective effect are briefly considered.
Brewer
George J
GJ
Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan Medical School, 5022 Kresge Building II, Ann Arbor MI 48109-0534, USA. brewergj@umich.edu
Dick
Robert
R
Zeng
Chunhua
C
Hou
Guoqing
G
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications
D008982:Molybdenum; C020809:tetrathiomolybdate