Disulfiram / FOXO Cancer Research Results

DSF, Disulfiram: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Disulfiram is a synthetic small-molecule drug best known for its use in the treatment of chronic alcohol use disorder. It is a thiuram disulfide compound with the chemical formula C₁₀H₂₀N₂S₄ and acts primarily as an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) inhibitor.
Main Actions:
-Potent copper-dependent pro-oxidant
-Targets ALDH⁺ cancer stem cells
-Strong clinical repurposing interest

Key pathways
-Cu-mediated redox cycling
-Proteasome inhibition
-Mitochondrial ROS

Chemo relevance
-Often synergistic
-Highly mechanism-dependent
Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 Metal chelation / Disulfiram–Cu complex formation ↑ DSF–Cu complex formation ↔ limited formation Driver Copper-dependent cytotoxic chemistry Elevated copper in cancer cells enables formation of cytotoxic DSF–Cu complexes; this is the initiating event for most anticancer effects
2 Proteasome / p97–NPL4 axis ↓ proteasome function; ↑ proteotoxic stress ↔ minimal disruption Driver Protein homeostasis collapse DSF–Cu disrupts protein degradation pathways, leading to accumulation of misfolded proteins and stress signaling
3 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (metal-dependent) ↔ buffered Secondary Oxidative stress amplification ROS rise follows DSF–Cu redox cycling and proteotoxic stress; not the primary trigger
4 Mitochondrial integrity / intrinsic apoptosis ↓ ΔΨm; ↑ caspase activation ↔ preserved Secondary Execution of cell death Mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis occur downstream of proteostasis and redox stress
5 ALDH activity (ALDH1A1 / stemness) ↓ ALDH activity ↓ ALDH (clinically tolerated) Secondary Cancer stem-like cell targeting ALDH inhibition preferentially impacts cancer stem-like populations; normal cells tolerate inhibition at therapeutic exposure
6 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation ↓ inflammatory NF-κB tone Secondary Suppression of survival transcription NF-κB inhibition reflects upstream proteotoxic and redox stress rather than direct targeting
7 Cell cycle progression ↓ proliferation / ↑ arrest ↔ largely spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Growth inhibition reflects impaired protein turnover and metabolic stress
8 Apoptosis / non-apoptotic death ↑ apoptosis or proteotoxic death ↔ protected Phenotypic Threshold-dependent cell death Cell death modality depends on copper availability and stress magnitude


FOXO, Forkhead box O: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
FOXO (Forkhead box O) refers to a family of transcription factors that play a crucial role in various cellular processes, including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis (programmed cell death), and stress resistance. The FOXO proteins, particularly FOXO1, FOXO3, FOXO4, and FOXO6, are involved in the regulation of genes that control these processes.
FOXO proteins can act as tumor suppressors. They promote apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation, which can help prevent the development and progression of tumors. When FOXO is activated, it can lead to the expression of genes that induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth.
FOXO proteins are regulated by phosphorylation through pathways such as the PI3K/Akt pathway. When Akt is activated, it phosphorylates FOXO, leading to its exclusion from the nucleus and subsequent degradation.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
4916- DSF,  Cu,    The immunomodulatory function and antitumor effect of disulfiram: paving the way for novel cancer therapeutics
- Review, Var, NA
TumCP↓, TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, eff↑, Imm↑, ROS↑, NF-kB↓, chemoP↑, JNK↑, FOXO↑, Myc↑, TumCCA↑, Apoptosis↑, RadioS↑, PD-L1↑, eff↑, CSCs↓, Dose↝, Half-Life↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 1 of 1

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 1

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

ROS↑, 1,  

Cell Death

Apoptosis↑, 1,   JNK↑, 1,   Myc↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence

TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

CSCs↓, 1,   FOXO↑, 1,  

Migration

TumCI↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

Imm↑, 1,   NF-kB↓, 1,   PD-L1↑, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

Dose↝, 1,   eff↑, 2,   Half-Life↑, 1,   RadioS↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

Myc↑, 1,   PD-L1↑, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

chemoP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 20

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: FOXO, Forkhead box O
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells
Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:387  Target#:525  State#:%  Dir#:2
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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