Effects of lithium on neutrophil metabolism in vitro and on neutrophil function during therapy

The effects of chronic lithium chloride administration on some behavioural and immunological changes in the bilaterally olfactory bulbectomized rat

The effect of chronic lithium chloride (3 mmol/kg for 15 days) on the 'open field' activity and some aspects of immune function was studied in bilaterally olfactory bulbectomized and sham-operated rats. Chronic lithium chloride administration did not reverse the hyperactivity of the bulbectomized rats in the 'open field', neither did it affect the growth rate significantly. Lithium chloride treatment reversed the deficit in the neutrophil phagocytic response and slightly reversed the deficit in lymphocyte proliferation induced by mitogens that resulted from bulbectomy. The reduction in neutrophil catalase activity, and the increase in superoxide dismutase activity, that occurred following bulbectomy was reversed by chronic lithium treatment. However, the reduction in the proportion of lymphocytes, and the increase in the proportion of neutrophils that occurred in the bulbectomized rats was not reversed significantly by chronic lithium treatment. Chronic lithium treatment reversed the deficit in noradrenaline in the amygdaloid cortex and hypothalamus of the bulbectomized rats and the reduction in the dopamine concentration in the amygdaloid cortex. No changes in the concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA could be detected in any of the brain regions studied. Thus there is a disparity between the lack of effect of lithium chloride on 'open field' behaviour and its beneficial effects in correcting some of the immune and neurotransmitter deficits which were observed in the bulbectomized rats.

Influence of lithium and fluoride on degranulation from human neutrophils in vitro

We have demonstrated that degranulation from normal human neutrophils in whole blood was stimulated by low concentrations of lithium salts and was produced by noncytolytic means. Significant amounts of beta-glucuronidase could be released from the primary granules, in addition to vitamin B12- binding protein from the secondary granules, by 10 mM lithium. Release was almost totally inhibited by 1 mM fluoride, under the same conditions. There was no release of lactate dehydrogenase and no loss of viability of cells incubated in either lithium or fluoride at the concentrations used. Lithium was also observed to have no effect on reactive oxygen production by phagocytic stimulation of isolated neutrophils. In addition, lithium and fluoride were shown to manipulate the intracellular levels of cAMP. The results demonstrated a direct effect of lithium on release of inflammatory mediators from neutrophils in vitro. The methods used also provide a simple and effective test to study an important function of neutrophil activity and can be used to evaluate degranulation in a number of clinical conditions.