title: Effects of lithium on endolymph homeostasis and experimentally induced endolymphatic hydrops.
abstract: There is evidence to suggest that water homeostasis in the inner ear is regulated via the vasopressin (VP)-aquaporin 2 (AQP2) system in the same fashion as in the kidney. The VP-AQP2 system in the kidney is well known to be inhibited by lithium, resulting in polyuria due to a decrease in reabsorption of water in the collecting duct of the kidney. Therefore, lithium is also likely to inhibit the VP-AQP2 system in the inner ear, and consequently exert some influence on inner ear fluid homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the effects of lithium on AQP2 expression in the rat inner ear, and on the cochlear fluid volume in hydropic ears of guinea pigs. A quantitative PCR study revealed that lithium reduced AQP2 mRNA expression in the cochlea and endolymphatic sac. Lithium application also decreased the immunoreactivity of AQP2 in the cochlea and endolymphatic sac. In a morphological study, lithium intake significantly reduced endolymphatic hydrops dose-dependently. These results indicate that lithium acts on the VP-AQP2 system in the inner ear, consequently producing a dehydratic effect on the endolymphatic compartment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kakigi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051399:Aquaporin 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004710:Endolymph / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018159:Endolymphatic Hydrops / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051399:Aquaporin 2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014667:Vasopressins; D008094:Lithium