Disulfiram: A novel repurposed drug for cancer therapy
10.1097/CM9.0000000000002909
- VernacularTitle:Disulfiram: A novel repurposed drug for cancer therapy
- Author:
Min ZENG
1
;
Baibei WU
;
Wenjie WEI
;
Zihan JIANG
;
Peiqiang LI
;
Yuanting QUAN
;
Xiaobo HU
Author Information
1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
- Keywords:
Disulfiram;
Aldehyde dehydrogenase;
Reactive oxygen species;
Proteasome activity;
Cancer stem cells;
Drug resistance
- From:
Chinese Medical Journal
2024;137(12):1389-1398
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Cancer is a major global health issue. Effective therapeutic strategies can prolong patients’ survival and reduce the costs of treatment. Drug repurposing, which identifies new therapeutic uses for approved drugs, is a promising approach with the advantages of reducing research costs, shortening development time, and increasing efficiency and safety. Disulfiram (DSF), a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug used to treat chronic alcoholism, has a great potential as an anticancer drug by targeting diverse human malignancies. Several studies show the antitumor effects of DSF, particularly the combination of DSF and copper (DSF/Cu), on a wide range of cancers such as glioblastoma (GBM), breast cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma. In this review, we summarize the antitumor mechanisms of DSF/Cu, including induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and various cell death signaling pathways, and inhibition of proteasome activity, as well as inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. Furthermore, we highlight the ability of DSF/Cu to target cancer stem cells (CSCs), which provides a new approach to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Strikingly, DSF/Cu inhibits several molecular targets associated with drug resistance, and therefore it is becoming a novel option to increase the sensitivity of chemo-resistant and radio-resistant patients. Studies of DSF/Cu may shed light on its improved application to clinical tumor treatment.
