title: Lithium protects ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis.
abstract: Lithium is widely used for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Recent studies have demonstrated its neuroprotective effect. Ethanol is a potent neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to the developing nervous system. In this study, we evaluated lithium's neuroprotection against ethanol-induced apoptosis. Transient exposure of infant mice to ethanol caused apoptotic cell death in brain, which was prevented significantly by administering a low dose of lithium 15min later. In cultured cerebellar granule neurons, ethanol-induced apoptosis and activation of caspase-3/9, both of which were prevented by lithium. However, lithium's protection is not mediated by its commonly known inhibition of glycogen synthase3beta, because neither ethanol nor lithium has significant effects on the phosphorylation of Akt (ser473) or GSK3beta (ser9). In addition, the selective GSK-3beta inhibitor SB-415286 was unable to prevent ethanol-induced apoptosis. These data suggest lithium may be used as a potential preventive measure for ethanol-induced neurological deficits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Riley Hospital for Children, 702 Barnhill Drive, Room 2641, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. jizhong@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Xianlin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D018020:Lithium Compounds; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D000431:Ethanol