Pharmacopsychiatry 2015; 48(04/05): 145-149
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1549946
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Lithium-induced Clock Gene Expression in Lymphoblastoid Cells of Bipolar Affective Patients

S. Kittel-Schneider
1   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
,
S. Schreck
2   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
C. Ziegler
2   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
L. Weißflog
1   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
,
M. Hilscher
2   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
R. Schwarz
2   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
L. Schnetzler
1   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
,
M. Neuner
3   Department of Psychiatry, Community Hospital of Lohr, Lohr am Main, Germany
,
A. Reif
1   Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
› Institutsangaben
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

received 15. Februar 2015
revised 06. April 2015

accepted 17. April 2015

Publikationsdatum:
26. Mai 2015 (online)

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Abstract

Introduction: Disturbances of circadian rhythms occur in all episodes of bipolar disorder (BD). Lithium, as gold-standard in the maintenance treatment of BD, is known to influence circadian processes.

Methods: In a pilot study lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) were generated from 8 BD patients and 6 healthy controls. The LCLs were treated with lithiumchloride (LiCl) for 3 weeks. Cell cycles were then synchronized and expressional analysis by quantitative Real Time PCR was done.

Results: BD and controls differed in the period length regarding DBP (albumin D-box binding protein) expression and DBP expression was also influenced by lithium treatment. Furthermore, baseline DBP expression was significantly different between non-treated BD and healthy controls. None of the other analyzed circadian genes showed to be influenced by chronic lithium treatment or to be differentially regulated due to the diagnosis.

Discussion: We here show that chronic lithium treatment of LCLs leads to decreased expression of the clock gene DBP, rendering DBP a lithium-regulated gene. We could confirm the role of the circadian clock as well in lithium mode of action as in the pathomechanisms of BD although future studies with a greater number of participants and cell lines are needed.

Supporting Information