Search for lithium isotope effects in neuronal HT22 cells

• Published in: Biochemistry and biophysics reports Vol. 34; p. 101461
• Main Authors: Livingstone, James D., Gingras, Michel J.P., Leonenko, Zoya, Beazely, Michael A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-07-2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: 6Li; 7Li; GSK-3-β; HT22; Lithium isotopes; Neuronal cells; Quantum mechanisms; Neuronal cells; 6Li; 7Li; Quantum mechanisms; GSK-3-β; Lithium isotopes; HT22
• ISSN: 2405-5808; 2405-5808
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101461

Lithium has been used as a treatment for bipolar disorder for over half a century, but there has thus far been no clinical differentiation made between the two naturally occurring stable isotopes (6Li and 7Li). While the natural lithium salts commonly used in treatments are composed of a mixture of these two stable isotopes (approximately 7.59% 6Li and 92.41% 7Li), some preliminary research indicates the above two stable isotopes of lithium may have differential effects on rat behaviour and neurophysiology. Here, we evaluate whether lithium isotopes may have distinct effects on HT22 neuronal cell viability, GSK-3-β phosphorylation in HT22 cells, and GSK-3-β kinase activity. We report no significant difference in lithium isotope toxicity on HT22 cells, nor in GSK-3-β phosphorylation, nor in GSK-3-β kinase activity between the two isotopes of lithium.
•Lithium isotopes do not have distinct toxic effects on HT22 neuronal cells.•Lithium isotopes do not differentially affect GSK-3-β S9 phosphorylation in HT22 cells.•Lithium isotopes do not differentially reduce GSK-3-β kinase activity.