title: Lithium chloride induces the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase in hNT neurons.
abstract: In the present study, several doses of lithium chloride were tested for their ability to induce the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in neurons derived from a human teratocarcinoma cell line (hNT) after 5 and 10 days in vitro (DIV). Following immunocytochemical staining for tyrosine hydroxylase, the percentage of TH-positive neurons was determined and morphometric analysis, including mean soma profile area and neuritic length, was performed. hNT neurons responded to lithium treatment in a dose-dependent manner. In 5 DIV, the most effective dose of lithium chloride (1.0 mM) increased the number of TH-positive neurons approximately sixfold. In addition, both TH-positive hNT neuron mean soma profile area and neurite length were significantly larger than controls by 60 and 70%, respectively. Moreover, even after withdrawal of lithium chloride on day 5, the number of TH-positive neurons in 10 DIV cultures remained significantly increased. These data suggest that hNT cells are indeed responsive to lithium exposure and may serve as a continual source of TH-expressing neurons in new therapeutic approaches to degenerative brain disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, 33612, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zigova
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Willing
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tedesco
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Borlongan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saporta
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Snable
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Sanberg
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D006801:Humans; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D018243:Teratocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D018021:Lithium Chloride