The effect of disulfiram (0.15-5.0 μM) or sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (1.0 μM) on proliferation of malignant cell lines is studied in cultures stimulated with 10% FBS. Cell numbers are quantitated 24 to 72 hours later, as outlined below. In some experiments, disulfiram is added immediately after cells are plated. In other experiments, cells are plated and allowed to grow for 24 to 72 hours before fresh medium with disulfiram is added and cell numbers are assayed 24 to 72 hours later. Synergy is studied between disulfiram and?N,N′-bis(2-chloroethyl-N-nitrosourea (carmustine, 1.0-1,000 μM) or cisplatin (0.1-100 μg/mL) added to medium. The effect of metal ions on disulfiram is studied with 0.2 to 10 μM Cu²⁺?(provided as CuSO₄), Zn²⁺?(as ZnCl₂), Ag⁺?(as silver lactate), or Au³⁺?(as HAuCl₄·3H₂O) ions added to growth medium, buffered to physiologic pH. To provide a biologically relevant source of copper, medium is supplemented with human ceruloplasmin at doses replicating low and high normal adult serum concentrations (250 and 500 mg/mL).

MCE has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

Adult female CB17-SCID mice are housed in a protected laminar flow facility with access to water and either a standard diet containing 87 ppm zinc or a zinc-supplemented diet containing 1,000 ppm Zn²⁺?as zinc acetate. Mice are injected s.c. in the right groin with 5×10⁶?cells from a highly aggressive malignant melanoma obtained from a Carolinas Medical Center patient. The frozen tumor is passaged twice in SCID mice to adapt it to?in vivo?growth before use in these experiments. On the day of tumor injection, all mice began daily administration of drug. Drug is given in a total volume of 0.2 mL by gastric gavage via smooth Teflon-tipped needles inserted transorally into the stomach. Four groups are studied: tumor control (n=10; 0.2 mL olive oil daily; zinc diet of 87 ppm); zinc-supplemented control (n=10; 0.2 mL olive oil daily; zinc diet of 1,000 ppm); disulfiram (n=10; 200 mg/kg/d disulfiram in 0.2 mL olive oil; zinc diet of 87 ppm); and zinc-supplemented diet + disulfiram (n=10; 200 mg/kg/d disulfiram in 0.2 mL olive oil; zinc diet of 1,000 ppm). Mice are examined daily, the tumor is measured in two dimensions, and the tumor volume is estimated using the formula for an elipse. When estimated tumor volume approached 500 mm³?within any animal, all mice are euthanized. Tumors are excised, weighed, fixed in formalin, sectioned, and stained or immunostained for factor VIII. Slides are coded and examined by a blinded observer who identified vessels as deposits of red cells. For each slide, the number of vessels is counted in four different fields representative of the tumor. The average number of vessels per field is averaged per biopsy specimen and used to evaluate tumor vascularity.

MCE has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

• [1]. Chen D, ert al. Disulfiram, a clinically used anti-alcoholism drug and copper-binding agent, induces apoptotic cell death in breast cancer cultures and?xenografts?via?inhibition?of the proteasome?activity. Cancer Res. 2006 Nov 1;66(21):10425-33.  [Content Brief]

  [2]. Wang W, et al. Disulfiram-mediated inhibition of NF-kappaB activity enhances cytotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil in human colorectal cancer cell lines. Int J Cancer. 2003 Apr 20;104(4):504-11.  [Content Brief]

  [3]. Cen D, et al. Disulfiram facilitates intracellular Cu uptake and induces apoptosis in human melanoma cells. J Med Chem. 2004 Dec 30;47(27):6914-20.  [Content Brief]

  [4]. Brar SS, et al. Disulfiram inhibits activating transcription factor/cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein and human melanoma growth in a metal-dependent manner in vitro, in mice and in a patient with metastatic disease. Mol Cancer Ther. 2004 Sep;3  [Content Brief]

  [5]. Jun Jacob Hu, et al. Identification of pyroptosis inhibitors that target a reactive cysteine in gasdermin D. The Preprint Server For Biology, 2018,Jul. 10.

  [6]. Guo F, et, al. Inhibitory effect on ovarian cancer ALDH+ stem-like cells by Disulfiram and Copper treatment through ALDH and ROS modulation. Biomed Pharmacother. 2019 Oct;118:109371.  [Content Brief]