Cited by 116Bioactive Compounds and Antitumor AgentsCancer Cells and MetastasisCancer-related Molecular Pathways

Disulfiram’s anti-cancer activity reflects targeting NPL4, not inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase

Skrott, Zdenek, Majera, Dusana, Gursky, Jan, Buchtova, Tereza, Hajduch, Marian, Mistrik, Martin, Bartek, Jiri·2019·Oncogene

Abstract

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is a proposed biomarker and possible target to eradicate cancer stem cells. ALDH inhibition as a treatment approach is supported by anti-cancer effects of the alcohol-abuse drug disulfiram (DSF, Antabuse). Given that metabolic products of DSF, rather than DSF itself inhibit ALDH in vivo, and that DSF's anti-cancer activity is potentiated by copper led us to investigate the relevance of ALDH as the suggested molecular cancer-relevant target of DSF. Here we show that DSF does not directly inhibit ALDH activity in diverse human cell types, while DSF's in vivo metabolite, S-methyl-N,N-diethylthiocarbamate-sulfoxide inhibits ALDH activity yet does not impair cancer cell viability. Our data indicate that the anti-cancer activity of DSF does not involve ALDH inhibition, and rather reflects the impact of DSF's copper-containing metabolite (CuET), that forms spontaneously in vivo and in cell culture media, and kills cells through aggregation of NPL4, a subunit of the p97/VCP segregase. We also show that the CuET-mediated, rather than any ALDH-inhibitory activity of DSF underlies the preferential cytotoxicity of DSF towards BRCA1- and BRCA2-deficient cells. These findings provide evidence clarifying the confusing literature about the anti-cancer mechanism of DSF, a drug currently tested in clinical trials for repositioning in oncology.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41388-019-0915-2

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  • DIS anticancer effects arise from its copper-containing metabolite, which forms spontaneously in vitro and in vivo, induces NPL4 aggregation, and disrupts the p97/valosin-containing protein segregase.

    “DIS anticancer effects instead arise from its copper-containing metabolite, which forms spontaneously in vitro and in vivo, that induces nuclear protein localization 4 (NPL4) aggregation, disrupting the p97/valosin-containing protein (VCP) segregase.81”

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Authors
Skrott, Z., Majera, D., Gursky, J., Buchtova, T., Hajduch, M., Mistrik, M., & Bartek, J.
Venue
Oncogene
Published
2019-08-07
Volume
38
Issue
40
Pages
6711-6722
ISSN
  • 0950-9232 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5594
OpenAlex
W2965238366
Cited by
115
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 1
FWCI
10.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Oncogene (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Novo Nordisk Fonden (NNF15OC0016584)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Bioactive Compounds and Antitumor Agents
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer-related Molecular Pathways
Keywords
disulfiram, aldehyde dehydrogenase, Npl4, cancer stem cells, BRCA1 deficiency, BRCA2 deficiency, drug repurposing, anticancer mechanism, protein aggregation
MeSH terms
A549 Cells, Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Antineoplastic Agents, Culture Media, Disulfiram, Humans, Nuclear Proteins, K562 Cells, Acetaldehyde Dehydrogenase Inhibitors

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