The promising antitumour drug disulfiram inhibits viability and induces apoptosis in cardiomyocytes

Abstract Disulfiram (DSF), widely used for treating alcohol abuse, is a promising antitumour drug that inhibits tumour cell viability, reverses cancer drug resistance and induces apoptosis. However, its potential side effects on cardiomyocytes remain unknown. This study demonstrated that DSF can not only inhibit cardiomyocyte viability and activity but also promote cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we revealed that cardiomyocytes were more sensitive to DSF than cancer cells. Moreover, the expression of STAT3, a key regulator of cardiomyocyte viability, was significantly down-regulated in cardiomyocytes treated with DSF. Finally, we also used experimental comparisons to indicate that PEG is a promising solvent for decreasing the adverse side effects of DSF, thereby expanding its potential range of clinical applications.