Search

Disulfiram has been used for decades to treat alcoholism. Its therapeutic effect is thought to be mediated by the irreversible inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase. Recent reports have indicated new therapeutic uses of disulfiram, in particular in human cancers. Although the biochemical mechanisms that underlie these effects remain largely unknown, certain enzymes involved in cancer processes have been reported to be targeted by disulfiram. Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) is a xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme that biotransforms aromatic amine drugs and carcinogens. In addition to its role in xenobiotic metabolism, several studies have suggested that NAT1 is involved in other physiological and/or pathological processes, such as folate metabolism or cancer progression. In this report, we provide evidence that human NAT1 is a new enzymatic target of disulfiram. We found that disulfiram at clinically relevant concentrations impairs the activity of endogenous NAT1 in human cancer cells. Further mechanistic and kinetic studies indicated that disulfiram reacts irreversibly with the active site cysteine residue of NAT1, leading to its rapid inhibition (IC50 = 3.3 ± 0.1 μm and ki = 6 × 104 m−1·min−1).

Enlarged or giant mitochondria have often been documented in aged tissues although their role and underlying mechanism remain unclear. We report here how highly elongated giant mitochondria are formed in and related to the senescent arrest. The mitochondrial morphology was progressively changed to a highly elongated form during deferoxamine (DFO)-induced senescent arrest of Chang cells, accompanied by increase of intracellular ROS level and decrease of mtDNA content. Interestingly, under exposure to subcytotoxic doses of H2O2 (200 µM), about 65% of Chang cells harbored elongated mitochondria with senescent phenotypes whereas ethidium bromide (EtBr) (50 ng/ml) only reformed the cristae structure. Elongated giant mitochondria were also observed in TGF β1- or H2O2-induced senescent Mv1Lu cells and in old human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs). In all senescent progresses employed in this study Fis1 protein, a mitochondrial fission modulator, was commonly downexpressed. Overexpression of YFP-Fis1 reversed both mitochondrial elongation and appearance of senescent phenotypes induced by DFO, implying its critical involvement in the arrest. Finally, we found that direct induction of mitochondrial elongation by blocking mitochondrial fission process with Fis1-ΔTM or Drp1-K38A was sufficient to develop senescent phenotypes with increased ROS production. These data suggest that mitochondrial elongation may play an important role as a mediator in stress-induced premature senescence. J. Cell. Physiol. 209: 468–480, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.