Inhibition of diethylnitrosamine-induced strand breaks in liver DNA by disulfiram.

Disulfiram (DSF) delayed the appearance of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced strand breaks in liver DNA of rats. The fragmentation of liver DNA produced by DEN was studied 4 and 24 h after administration of the carcinogen on alkaline sucrose gradients. A single dose of 500 mg/kg DSF given 1 h prior to carcinogen treatment delayed for at least 4 h the DEN--induced strand breaks in liver DNA. A single DSF pretreatment, however, did not protect against carcinogen-induced strand breaks when observed 24 h after DEN injection. It is possible that continuous administration of DSF might inhibit the DEN-produced damage of the genetic material.