Vaj. Smits et al., Inhibition of cell proliferation by lithium is associated with interference in cdc2 activation, FEBS LETTER, 457(1), 1999, pp. 23-27
Lithium can interfere with embryonal development in a variety of organisms.
We investigated the effect of lithium on the proliferation of early embryo
nal cells. [H-3]Thymidine incorporation of non-committed mouse P19 embryona
l carcinoma cells was inhibited by lithium treatment. Similar effects were
seen in a variety of other cells. This growth inhibition occurred in the G(
2) phase, since cells accumulated with a 4N DNA content, but the appearance
of mitotic cells was blocked. Lithium could also prevent the activation of
cdc2, thereby inhibiting cyclin B/cdc2 kinase activity. These data indicat
e that lithium might disturb embryonal development through interference in
embryonal cell cycle regulation. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemica
l Societies.