APOPTOSIS AND AUTOPHAGY IN HEPATOCARCINOMA CELLS INDUCED BY DIFFERENT FORMS OF LITHIUM SALTS

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nanomedicine
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive cancer resistant to conventional therapies.
• Dysregulation of programmed cell death pathways is implicated in HCC development.
• Novel therapeutic strategies targeting HCC cell death are urgently needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the structural changes in HCC cells induced by nanoscale and conventional forms of lithium salts.
• To identify specific cell death pathways (apoptosis and autophagy) affected by lithium salt exposure.
• To compare the efficacy of different lithium salt forms and sizes on HCC cell death.

Main Methods:

• Utilized light and electron microscopy to observe cellular structural changes.
• Employed flow cytometry to analyze cell death mechanisms.
• Incubated HCC-29 cells with various forms of lithium salts, including nanoscale lithium carbonate and lithium citrate.

Main Results:

• Nanoscale forms of lithium carbonate and lithium citrate demonstrated a more pronounced effect on HCC-29 cells compared to conventional forms.
• Nanoscale lithium citrate primarily induced apoptosis in HCC cells.
• Nanosized lithium carbonate induced both apoptosis and autophagic cell death in HCC-29 cells.

Conclusions:

• Nanoscale lithium salts, particularly lithium carbonate and citrate, show significant potential in inducing hepatocellular carcinoma cell death.
• The distinct mechanisms of apoptosis and autophagy induced by these nanoparticles offer a promising avenue for HCC treatment development.
• Further research into nanoscale lithium compounds could lead to novel therapeutic interventions for HCC.