Carbon disulfide hepatoxicity and inhibition of liver microsome calcium pump.

This work has shown that CS2 promptly inhibits the liver ER calcium pump only in those animals that subsequently develop hepatic necrosis. In this respect, inhibition of the ER calcium pump by CS2 resembles the actions of chlorinated hydrocarbon hepatotoxins. This lends further support to the suggestion that disruption of calcium homeostasis is an important early step in the action of at least some hepatotoxins [1-5]. CS2 appears to be the first example of a hepatotoxin other than chlorinated hydrocarbons that inhibit the liver ER calcium pump early in the course of intoxication. Finally, studies by others [17,18] suggest a mechanism by which CS2 can interact with and inhibit the liver ER calcium pump.