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Lithium: A Promising Anticancer Agent.

Edgar Yebrán Villegas-Vázquez1, Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados2, Hernán Cortés3

  • 1Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Investigación Experimental Zaragoza, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, Mexico.

Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 25, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Lithium, a bipolar disorder treatment, shows significant anti-cancer potential by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting tumor growth. This repurposed drug enhances conventional therapies and offers neuroprotection, improving patient quality of life.

Keywords:
anti-cancer effectsapoptosisautophagycancerlithiumnano-delivery

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Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Lithium is primarily known for treating bipolar disorders.
  • Emerging evidence suggests lithium possesses anti-cancer properties.
  • Understanding lithium's molecular mechanisms in cancer is crucial for therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review lithium's cellular transport, administration forms, and anti-cancer mechanisms.
  • To explore lithium's effects on tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and cell cycle.
  • To assess lithium's synergy with standard cancer therapies and its neuroprotective role.

Main Methods:

  • Review of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data.
  • Analysis of various lithium formulations (LiAcAc, LiCl, Li3C6H5O7, Li2CO3).
  • Evaluation of nano-sized lithium's enhanced anti-tumor activities.

Main Results:

  • Lithium formulations induce apoptosis, autophagy, and inhibit tumor growth.
  • Lithium regulates tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and cell cycle arrest.
  • Lithium demonstrates synergy with standard cancer treatments and offers neuroprotection.

Conclusions:

  • Lithium is a promising repurposed drug with significant therapeutic cancer potential.
  • Its efficacy is influenced by tumor type, lithium salt, administration, and dosage.
  • Nano-sized lithium enhances anti-tumor effects and organ protection.