Lithium Distinctly Modulates the Secretion of Pro- and Anti- Inflammatory Interleukins in Co-Cultures of Neurons and Glial Cells at Therapeutic and Sub-Therapeutic Concentrations

Curr Alzheimer Res. 2016;13(8):848-52. doi: 10.2174/1567205013666160219112612.

Abstract

Lithium is associated with various effects on immune functions, some of which are still poorly understood. The roles of many cytokines have been characterized in a variety of neurodevelopmental processes including neurogenesis, neuronal and glial cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, synaptic maturation and synaptic pruning. This work aims to evaluate the effects of different doses of lithium (0.02; 0.2 and 2mM) on the secretion of cytokines in co-cultures of cortical and hippocampal neurons with glial cells. Our results indicate that chronic treatment with lithium chloride at subtherapeutic concentrations are able to modify the secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukins in co-cultures of cortical and hippocampal neurons with glial cells.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Central Nervous System Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / immunology
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / immunology
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Interleukins / metabolism*
  • Lithium Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Neuroglia / drug effects*
  • Neuroglia / immunology
  • Neuroglia / metabolism
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / immunology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Rats, Wistar

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Agents
  • Interleukins
  • Lithium Compounds