Reduced inositol polyphosphate accumulation and inositol supply induced by lithium in stimulated cerebral cortex slices

The ability of lithium to interfere with phosphoinositide metabolism in rat cerebral cortex slices has been examined by monitoring the accumulation of CMP-phosphatidate (CMP-PtdOH) and the reduction in Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 levels. A small accumulation of [14C]CMP-PtdOH was seen in slices prelabelled with [14C]cytidine and stimulated with carbachol (1 mM) or Li+ (1 mM). However, simultaneous addition of both agents for 30 min produced a 22-fold accumulation, with Li+ producing a half-maximal effect at a concentration of 0.61 +/- 0.19 mM. Kinetic studies revealed that the effects of carbachol and Li+ on CMP-PtdOH accumulation occurred with no initial lag apparent under these conditions and that preincubation with myo-inositol (10 or 30 mM) dramatically attenuated CMP-PtdOH accumulation. myo-Inositol could also attenuate the rate of accumulation of CMP-PtdOH when added 20 min after carbachol and Li+; these effects were not observed when equimolar concentrations of scyllo-inositol were added. Use of specific radioreceptor assays allowed the mass accumulations of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 to be monitored. Following a lag of 5-10 min, Li+ resulted in a marked reduction in the accumulation of both inositol polyphosphates resulting from muscarinic-cholinergic stimulation. Preincubation of cerebral cortex slices with myo- (but not scyllo-) inositol delayed, but did not prevent, the reduction in the accumulation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 or Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. The results suggest that cerebral cortex, at least in vitro, is very sensitive to myo-inositol depletion under conditions of muscarinic receptor stimulation. The relationship of such depletion to the generation of inositol polyphosphate second messengers is discussed.