Effects of Lithium Chloride in the Prevention of Myelin Destruction Induced by Cuprizone in the Corpus Callosum of the Mouse Brain

Abstract

Background: The disturbance of the myelination process and myelin tissue destruction leads to central nervous system dysfunction. The neuroprotective role of lithium chloride in the treatment of neurological diseases has been proven. In the present study, the effects of lithium chloride in preventing the destruction of myelin tissue induced by cuprizone in the corpus callosum of the mouse brain were investigated. Methods: In this study, 40 female C57BL/6 mice weighing 20-25 grams were randomly divided into four groups including control, sham, cuprizone and lithium chloride/cuprizone groups. The compound of lithium chloride was used intra peritoneally at a dose of 50 mg/kg daily. At the end of the study, in order to check the average myelin density and myelin gene expression, toluidine blue staining, immunohistochemistry and Real Time-PCR were used. Findings: The results of immunohistochemistry and toluidine blue staining showed that, the density of myelin and the percentage of cells which expressing the Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) marker increased significantly in the group which receiving lithium compared to the cuprizone group. In addition, Real Time-PCR results showed that the use of lithium can increase myelin gene expression. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that neuroprotective factors, such as lithium chloride, have the ability to prevent the destruction of myelin tissue, and therefore, the use of this combination can be a suitable manner to prevent and reduce the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. © 2023 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.