title: Lithium differentially affects clock gene expression in serum-shocked NIH-3T3 cells.
abstract: Bipolar disorder has been associated with disturbances in circadian rhythms. Lithium is frequently used in the long-term treatment of bipolar disorder, and has been shown to prolong such rhythms in animals and humans. To examine whether lithium affects the expression of genes regulating the circadian clock, cultured NIH-3T3 cells were synchronized by serum-shocking, and the relative expression of the clock genes Period1 (Per1), Period2 (Per2), Period3 (Per3), Cryptochrome1 (Cry1), Cryptochrome2 (Cry2), Brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator-like 1 (Bmal1), Circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (Clock), Rev-Erb-α (Nr1d1), RAR-related orphan receptor α (Ror-α), Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (Gsk-3β), Casein kinase 1-ε (CK1-ε; Csnk1ε), E4 binding protein 4 (E4BP4; Nfil-3) and albumin D-binding protein (Dbp) was examined for three consecutive days in the presence of lithium (20 mM) or vehicle (20 mM NaCl). We found that lithium significantly increased the expression of Per2 and Cry1, whereas Per3, Cry2, Bmal1, E4BP4 and Rev-Erb-α expression was reduced. We also found that lithium prolonged the period of Per2. Taken together, these effects on clock gene expression may be relevant for the effects of lithium on biological rhythms and could also give new leads to further explore its mood-stabilizing actions in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
authors.affiliation: Dr Einar Martens Research Group for Biological Psychiatry and Bergen Mental Health Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Teresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Osland
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernø
authors.forename: Bjarte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Håvik
authors.forename: Ivar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heuch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruoff
authors.forename: Ole Didrik
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Lærum
authors.forename: Vidar M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Steen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056926:CLOCK Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D057906:Circadian Clocks / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D044967:Serum / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; D018021:Lithium Chloride