• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.471-479
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• 2023

Disulfiram (DSF), a medication for alcoholism, has recently been used as a repurposing drug owing to its anticancer effects. Despite the crucial role of dendritic cells (DCs) in immune homeostasis and cancer therapy, the effects of DSF on the survival and function of DCs have not yet been studied. Therefore, we treated bone marrow-derived DCs with DSF and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and performed various analyses. DCs are resistant to DSF and less cytotoxic than bone marrow cells and spleen cells. The viability and metabolic activity of DCs hardly decreased after treatment with DSF in the absence or presence of LPS. DSF did not alter the expression of surface markers (MHC II, CD86, CD40, and CD54), antigen uptake capability, or the antigen-presenting ability of LPS-treated DCs. DSF decreased the production of interleukin (IL)-12/23 (p40), but not IL-6 or tumor necrosis factor-α, in LPS-treated DCs. We considered the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a factor to make DCs resistant to DSF-induced cytotoxicity. The resistance of DCs to DSF decreased when GM-CSF was not given or its signaling was inhibited. Also, GM-CSF upregulated the expression of a transcription factor XBP-1 which is essential for DCs' survival. This study demonstrated for the first time that DSF did not alter the function of DCs, had low cytotoxicity, and induced differential cytokine production.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 1997

Disulfiram (DSF) and diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), a reduced form of DSF, protect the liver against toxicant-induced injury through inhibition of cytochrome P450 2E1. The effect of DSF and DDC on the levels of major hepatic microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) expression was comparatively studied, given the view that these enzymes are involved in terminal detoxification events for high energy intermediates of xenobiotics. Treatment of rats with a single dose of DSF (20-200 mg/kg, po) resulted in 2- to 15-fold increases in the mEH mRNA level at 24 hr with the ED$_{50}$ value being noted as 60 mg/kg. The mEH mRNA level was elevated ~15-fold at 24 hr after treatment at the dose of 100 mg/kg, whereas the hepatic mRNA level was rather decreased from the maximum at the dose of 200 mg/kg, indicating that DSF might cause cytotoxicity at the dose. In contrast to the effect of DSF, DDC only minimally elevated the mEH mRNA level at the doses employed. DSF moderately increased the major GST mRNA levels in the liver as a function of dose, resulting in rGSTA2, rGSTA3/5 or rGSTM1 mRNA levels being elevated 3- to 4-fold at 24 hr post-treatment, whereas the rGSTM2 mRNA level was not altered. DDC, however, failed to stimulate the mRNA levels for major GST subunits, indicating that the reduced form of DSF was ineffective in stimulating the GST the expression. The effect of other organosulfides including aldrithiol, 2, 2'-dithiobis(benzothiazole) (DTB), tetramethylthiouram disulfide (TMTD) and allyl disulfide (ADS) on the hepatic mEH and GST mRNA expression was assessed in rats in order to further confirm the increase in the gene expression by other disulfides. Treatment of rats with aldrithiol (100 mg/kg, po) resulted in a 16-fold increase in the mEH mRNA level at 24 hr post-treatment. DTB, TMTD and ADS also caused 5-, 9- and 12-fold increases in the rnRNA level, respectively, as compared to control. Thus, all of the disulfides examined were active in stimulating the mEH gene in the liver. The organosulfides significantly increased the rGSTA2, rGSTA3, rGSTA5 and rGSTM1 mRNA levels at 24 hr after administration. In particular, aldrithiol was very efficient in stimulating the rGSTA and rGSTM genes among the disulfides examined. These results provide evidence that DSF and other sulfides effectively stimulate the mEH and major GST gene expression at early times in the liver and that DDC, a reduced form of DSF, was ineffective in stimulating the expression of the genes, supporting the conclusion that reduced form(s) of organosulfur compound(s) might be less effective in inducing the mEH and GST genes through the antioxidant responsive element(s).

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.273-277
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• 1995

Several metabolic modulators on the generation of carbon monoxide (CO)from dichloromethane (DCM) was examined in adult female rats. It has been known that DCM is converted to CO by cytochrome P-450 or to carbon dioxide $(CO_2)$ by glutathione-dependent metabolic reaction. In rats treated with DCM (3 mmol/kg, ip) only, the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level reached a peak of approximately 10% 2 or 3 hr following the treatment. Disulfiram (300 mg/kg, ip) or allylsulfide (200 mg/kg, po), both known as a selective inhibitior for cytochrome P-450 2E1, blocked the increase in COHb concentratlons almost completely suggesting that the metabolic conversion of DCM to CO is mediated by the activity of this specific type of isozyme. YH439 (125 or 250 mg/kg, po), a potential hepatoprotective agent, decreased the COHb elevation as well indicating that this chemical is a potent inhibitor for 2E1. In rats treated with pyrazine (200 mg/kg, ip) 18 hr prior to DCM the peak COHb concentration was decreased by approximately 3 or 4%. However, pretreatment of rats with pyrazine either 24 or 48 hr before DCM increased the peak COHb concentration significantly compared to the rats treated with DCM only. The results in the present study strongly suggest that the generation of CO from DCM depends on the 2E1 activity and that the pharmacological and/or toxicological action of YH439 or pyrazine in animals or human is associated with its effect on this isozyme.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 1985

The present study was undertaken to investigate the possible effect of ginseng butanol fraction on the hepatic acetaldehyde metabolism. Experimental animals were used for the subject of the study. When, in case of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (Ald DH), ginseng butanol fraction was added, enzyme activity was increased in a small dose, while, in a large dose, it showed inhibitory effect. In terms of kinetic aspect, ginseng butanol fraction has the effect to decrease the Km values of Ald DH. In vivo studies, the activity of Aid DH increased by induction of acute intoxication of ethanol was further increased through pretreatment with ginseng butanol fraction. When ginseng butanol fraction was given to mice fed with 5% ethanol instead of water for 60 days, the activity of Ald DH in mitochondrial fraction decreased to about 35% in chronic alcoholism, but after pretreatment of ginseng butanol fraction the activity was restored to the control level. By the pretreatment with disulfiram, the Ald DH activity was inhibited in normal and alcohol-treated groups, but after the treatment with ginseng butanol fraction the activity was restored to the control level. The results suggest that ginseng butanol fraction enhance the Ald DH activity inhibited by the treatment of disulfiram with no relation to NAD. It was observed that ginseng butanol fraction markedly decrease the acetaldehyde levels in plasma and liver. All these observations suggested that reduction of acetaldehyde in blood and liver should be dependent upon increased activity of mitochonclrial Ald DH. It is concluded that the recovery from alcohol intoxication should be prompted by treatment with ginseng.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.187-191
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• 1994

The present stduy was undertaken to investigate the possible effect of Puffer fish skin extract (Pf) on the heptic acetaldehyde metabolism . It was obsrved that PF markedly decreased the acetaldehyde levels in blood and liver. The activity of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (Ald DH) increased by induction of acute intoxicatiion of alcohol (5 g/kg) was further increased through pretreatment with PF for 2 weeks. When PF was given to rat fed with 25% alcohol solution instead of water for 6 weeks. the activity of Ald DH in mitochondrial fraction decreased to about 28% compared with sucrose-treated group. But after pretreatemnt of PF, the activity was restored to the normal level. By the treatment with disulfiram (300 mg/kg, once a day for 3days) was restored to the control after the pretreatment with PF. And also mitochondrial Ald DH activity in vitro was not changed. All these observations suggest that reduction of acetaldehyde levels are partly due to increase activity of mitochondrial Ald DH. Therefore, the recovery from intoxication of acetaldehyde may be enhanced by treatment with PF.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 1993

Role of rat cytochrome P-450 2E1(P-450 2E 1) in the metabolism of chlorzoxazone was examined by using several approaches' (1) selective inhibiton of catalytic activity in rat liver microsomes by diethyldithiocarbamate, (2) correlation of dimethylnitrosomine N-demethylation with chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation, and (3) immunoinhibition of catalytic activity with rabbit anti-rat P-450. The results indicated that P-450 2E1 is responsible for the metabolism of chlorzoxazone.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.291-297
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• 1996

The role of cytochrome P-450 2E1 (P450 2E1) in the early phase of alcoholic fatty liver was examined. Female rats were pretreated with either allyl sulfide (200 mg/kg, po), disulfiram (500 mg/kg, po), YH 439 (250 mg/kg, po) or pyrazine (200 mg/kg/day$\times$2 days, ip). Marked changes in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity and caboxyhemoglobin (COHb) elevation due to dichloromethane administration were observed in rats treated with one of the P450 2E1 modulators. A single dose of ethanol (6 g/kg, po) increased the hepatic triglyceride contents approximately 2 fold, which was inhibited completely by YH 439 pretreatment. However, the other P450 2E1 modulators failed to alter the ethanol-induced hepatic triglyceride accumulation. In vitro hepatic microsomal enzyme activity was determined in 4 week old premature and 12 week old adult rats. Aminopyrine-N demethylation was not different, but p-nitrophenol hydroxylation and p-nitroanisole O-demethylation were significantly higher in premature rats. However, no difference in the triglyceride accumulation induced by an intraperitoneal dose of ethanol (3 g/kg) was noted between premature and adult rats. The results suggest that the P450 2E1 activity dose not play an important role in the induction of acute alcoholic fatty liver.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.428-433
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• 1994

The methabolism and phamacokinetics of a mixed disulfide S-(N, N-diethyldithiocarbamoyl)-N-acetyl-L-cysteine (AC-DDTC) were studied in rats. Two metabolites of AC-DDTC following iv and po administration were indentified in plasma and liver by HPLC and GC, namely N, N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) and the methyl ester of DDTC (Me-DDTC). AC-DDTC was very unstable in vivo and could not be detected neither in plasma nor in urine. Pharmacokinetic parameters of DDTC following intravenous administration of AC-DDTC (20 mg/kg) were calculated. DDTC has a low affinity to rat tissue and the body clearance was $9.0{\pm}3.4mkl/mim/kg$. The mean residence time (MRT) was $11.5{\pm}16.3 min$. After oral administration of 20 mg/kg AC-DDTC, maximal plasma concenttion ($C_{max}$) was $3.8{\pm}0.2 nmol/ml$ and the bioavailability was 7.04%. $C_{max}$ for DDTC at a dose of 120 mg/kg. AC-DDTC was $40.1{\pm}2.2 nmol/ml$. ART was $47.1{\pm}2.8min$.at a dose of 20 mg/kg and $110.5{\pm}6.0 min$ at 120 mg/kg.