Effects of lithium on oxidative stress parameters in healthy subjects

Khairova,Rushaniya; Pawar,Rohit; Salvadore,Giacomo; Juruena,Mario  F.; de Sousa,Rafael  T.; Soeiro-de-Souza,Márcio  G.; Salvador,Mirian; Zarate,Carlos  A.; Gattaz,Wagner  F.; Machado-Vieira,Rodrigo

doi:10.3892/mmr.2011.732

Effects of lithium on oxidative stress parameters in healthy subjects

Authors:
- Rushaniya Khairova
- Rohit Pawar
- Giacomo Salvadore
- Mario F. Juruena
- Rafael T. de Sousa
- Márcio G. Soeiro-de-Souza
- Mirian Salvador
- Carlos A. Zarate
- Wagner F. Gattaz
- Rodrigo Machado-Vieira
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Affiliations: Experimental Therapeutics, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA, Department of Psychiatry, Maimonides Medical Center, New York, NY, USA, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, Laboratory of Neuroscience, LIM-27, Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil
Published online on: December 22, 2011 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2011.732
Pages: 680-682

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Abstract

Increased neuronal oxidative stress (OxS) induces deleterious effects on signal transduction, structural plasticity and cellular resilience, mainly by inducing lipid peroxidation in membranes, proteins and genes. Major markers of OxS levels include the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase. Lithium has been shown to prevent and/or reverse DNA damage, free-radical formation and lipid peroxidation in diverse models. This study evaluates OxS parameters in healthy volunteers prior to and following lithium treatment. Healthy volunteers were treated with lithium in therapeutic doses for 2-4 weeks. Treatment with lithium in healthy volunteers selectively altered SOD levels in all subjects. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the SOD/CAT ratio was observed following lithium treatment, wich was associated with decreased OxS by lowering hydrogen peroxide levels. This reduction in the SOD/CAT ratio may lead to lower OxS, indicated primarily by a decrease in the concentration of cell hydrogen peroxide. Overall, the present findings indicate a potential role for the antioxidant effects of lithium in healthy subjects, supporting its neuroprotective profile in bipolar disorder (BD) and, possibly, in neurodegenerative processes.