title: Lithium-induced inhibition of Src tyrosine kinase in rat cerebral cortical neurons: a role in neuroprotection against N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity.
abstract: The neuroprotective effects of lithium, a mood stabilizer, against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in rat cortical neurons were associated with a decrease in Tyr1472 phosphorylation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor NR2B subunit and a loss of receptor activity. Since this receptor tyrosine phosphorylation is mediated by the Src-family tyrosine kinases, we investigated the effects of lithium on the Src kinase activity. Levels of phosphorylated Src kinase at Tyr416, an index of Src activation, were reduced after treatment with LiCl (1 mM) for more than 3 days. Protein levels of Src-family kinases such as Src, Fyn, and Yes were unchanged by lithium treatment. The activities of cytosolic protein tyrosine kinase and protein phosphatase were also unchanged by lithium treatment, indicating the selectivity and the modulation. Moreover, the levels of postsynaptic densities (PSD) and SynGAP, the scaffolding proteins of the NMDA receptor complex, were unaltered by lithium. A Src kinase inhibitor, SU6656, and an NR2B antagonist, ifenprodil, partially blocked glutamate excitotoxicity. Our results suggest that lithium-induced inactivation of Src kinase contributes to this drug-induced NMDA receptor inhibition and neuroprotection against excitotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bldg 10, Rm. 4C-206, 10 Center Dr MSC 1363, Bethesda, MD 20892-1363, USA.
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimaki
authors.forename: Mi Ra
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Christ
authors.forename: De-Maw
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chuang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology*; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D008094:Lithium; D019061:src-Family Kinases