[Neuroprotection of lithium and the antagonism of lithium to toxic effects of lead on primary culturing cerebrocortical neurons in vitro].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the toxic effects of lead on nervous system and the neuroprotection of lithium, we observed the impact of different dose of lead on the growth and survival of primary cultured cerebrocortical neurons, and the antagonism of lithium to lead.


METHODS
We established the technique of primary culturing cerebrocortical neurons of newborn rats with serum-free medium. We observed the growth and survival of neurons treated with different dose of lead and 5 mmol/L lithium chloride through microscope, and measured the length of neuritis, we also compared the cell viabilities by MTT reduction assay.


RESULTS
Lead could limit the growth of neurons, shorten the neuritis, and decrease the neurons viability (P < 0.01). Lithium chloride (5 mmol/L) had significant protective action on the neurons treated with lead. The length of neuritis were longer than that of the groups treated only with lead (10(-6) mol/L and 10(-5) mmol/L) (P < 0.01), and the neurons viability was also higher than that of groups treated with lead (10(-8)-10(-5) mol/L) (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Lead had the toxic effects on neurons, and lithium could protect the neurons against the toxicity of lead.
Yang
Fang
F
Military Preventive Medical Institute, Medical College of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Tianjin 300162, China.
Li
Jisheng
J
Yang
Feng
F
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D007854:Lead; D008094:Lithium