Chronic lithium treatment prevents the dexamethasone-induced increase of brain polyamine metabolizing enzymes.
The paper describes the effects of various regimens of lithium chloride treatment on dexamethasone-induced increases in brain polyamine metabolizing enzymes. In contrast to peripheral tissues where acute lithium treatment suppresses the increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity, in the brain only chronic treatment was effective in preventing this increase and also the increases in the activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase. This findings indicate a novel brain target for lithium's action and in turn provide new avenues for exploring polyamine function in the brain.
Gilad
G M
GM
Neuropsychiatry Branch, NIMH Neuroscience Center, St. Elizabeths, Washington, DC 20032.
Gilad
V H
VH
Wyatt
R J
RJ
Casero
R A
RA
D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D012437:Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D000099228:Diamine N-Acetyltransferase
D000123:Acetyltransferases; D012437:Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase; D002712:Chlorides; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008094:Lithium; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D011073:Polyamines; D000099228:Diamine N-Acetyltransferase