Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model

Lithium, a natural element, has been employed as a mental stabilizer in psychiatric treatments; however, some reports indicate it has an anticancer effect, prompting the consideration of repurposing lithium for cancer treatment. The potential anticancer use of lithium may depend on its form (salt ty...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Juan Carlos García-Acosta, Alejando Israel Castillo-Montoya, Gareth Omar Rostro-Alonso, Edgar Yebrán Villegas-Vázquez, Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados, Luis Sánchez-Sánchez, Hugo López-Muñóz, Lizbeth Cariño-Calvo, Israel López-Reyes, Lilia Patricia Bustamante-Montes, Gerardo Leyva-Gómez, Hernán Cortés, Nadia Judith Jacobo-Herrera, Rosario García-Aguilar, Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández, Gabriela Figueroa-González
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/18/4476
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850260117680816128
author Juan Carlos García-Acosta
Alejando Israel Castillo-Montoya
Gareth Omar Rostro-Alonso
Edgar Yebrán Villegas-Vázquez
Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados
Luis Sánchez-Sánchez
Hugo López-Muñóz
Lizbeth Cariño-Calvo
Israel López-Reyes
Lilia Patricia Bustamante-Montes
Gerardo Leyva-Gómez
Hernán Cortés
Nadia Judith Jacobo-Herrera
Rosario García-Aguilar
Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández
Gabriela Figueroa-González
author_facet Juan Carlos García-Acosta
Alejando Israel Castillo-Montoya
Gareth Omar Rostro-Alonso
Edgar Yebrán Villegas-Vázquez
Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados
Luis Sánchez-Sánchez
Hugo López-Muñóz
Lizbeth Cariño-Calvo
Israel López-Reyes
Lilia Patricia Bustamante-Montes
Gerardo Leyva-Gómez
Hernán Cortés
Nadia Judith Jacobo-Herrera
Rosario García-Aguilar
Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández
Gabriela Figueroa-González
author_sort Juan Carlos García-Acosta
collection DOAJ
description Lithium, a natural element, has been employed as a mental stabilizer in psychiatric treatments; however, some reports indicate it has an anticancer effect, prompting the consideration of repurposing lithium for cancer treatment. The potential anticancer use of lithium may depend on its form (salt type) and the type of cancer cells targeted. Little is known about the effects of Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> or LiCl on cancer cells, so we focused on exploring their effects on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle as part of the hallmarks of cancer. Firstly, we established the IC<sub>50</sub> values on HeLa, SiHa, and HaCaT cells with LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> and determined by crystal violet that cell proliferation was time-dependent in the three cell lines (IC<sub>50</sub> values for LiCl were 23.43 mM for SiHa, 23.14 mM for HeLa, and 15.10 mM for HaCaT cells, while the IC<sub>50</sub> values for Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> were 20.57 mM for SiHa, 11.52 mM for HeLa, and 10.52 mM for HaCaT cells.) Our findings indicate that Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> and LiCl induce DNA fragmentation and caspase-independent apoptosis, as shown by TUNEL, Western Blot, and Annexin V/IP assay by flow cytometry. Also, cell cycle analysis showed that LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> arrested the cervical cancer cells at the G1 phase. Moreover, lithium salts displayed an anti-migratory effect on the three cell lines observed by the wound-healing assay. All these findings imply the viable anticancer effect of lithium salts by targeting several of the hallmarks of cancer.
format Article
id doaj-art-873c372376e942b49ad5d9e5c522c0df
institution OA Journals
issn 1420-3049
language English
publishDate 2024-09-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-873c372376e942b49ad5d9e5c522c0df2025-08-20T01:55:42ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-09-012918447610.3390/molecules29184476Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer ModelJuan Carlos García-Acosta0Alejando Israel Castillo-Montoya1Gareth Omar Rostro-Alonso2Edgar Yebrán Villegas-Vázquez3Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados4Luis Sánchez-Sánchez5Hugo López-Muñóz6Lizbeth Cariño-Calvo7Israel López-Reyes8Lilia Patricia Bustamante-Montes9Gerardo Leyva-Gómez10Hernán Cortés11Nadia Judith Jacobo-Herrera12Rosario García-Aguilar13Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández14Gabriela Figueroa-González15Laboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoLaboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoLaboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoLaboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoColegio de Ciencias y Humanidades, Plantel Cuautepec, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México 07160, MexicoLaboratorio de Biología Molecular del Cáncer, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoLaboratorio de Biología Molecular del Cáncer, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoFacultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Orizaba 94340, MexicoColegio de Ciencias y Humanidades, Plantel Cuautepec, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México 07160, MexicoCoordinación de Investigación, Centro Universitario Siglo XXI, Edo. de México 03100, MexicoDepartamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, MexicoLaboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Departamento de Genómica, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra, Ciudad de México 14389, MexicoUnidad de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubiran, Ciudad de México 14080, MexicoLaboratorio de Citometría de Flujo y Hematología, Diagnóstico Molecular de Leucemias y Terapia Celular (DILETEC), Ciudad de México 07800, MexicoLaboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoLaboratorio de Farmacogenética, UMIEZ, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 09230, MexicoLithium, a natural element, has been employed as a mental stabilizer in psychiatric treatments; however, some reports indicate it has an anticancer effect, prompting the consideration of repurposing lithium for cancer treatment. The potential anticancer use of lithium may depend on its form (salt type) and the type of cancer cells targeted. Little is known about the effects of Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> or LiCl on cancer cells, so we focused on exploring their effects on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle as part of the hallmarks of cancer. Firstly, we established the IC<sub>50</sub> values on HeLa, SiHa, and HaCaT cells with LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> and determined by crystal violet that cell proliferation was time-dependent in the three cell lines (IC<sub>50</sub> values for LiCl were 23.43 mM for SiHa, 23.14 mM for HeLa, and 15.10 mM for HaCaT cells, while the IC<sub>50</sub> values for Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> were 20.57 mM for SiHa, 11.52 mM for HeLa, and 10.52 mM for HaCaT cells.) Our findings indicate that Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> and LiCl induce DNA fragmentation and caspase-independent apoptosis, as shown by TUNEL, Western Blot, and Annexin V/IP assay by flow cytometry. Also, cell cycle analysis showed that LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> arrested the cervical cancer cells at the G1 phase. Moreover, lithium salts displayed an anti-migratory effect on the three cell lines observed by the wound-healing assay. All these findings imply the viable anticancer effect of lithium salts by targeting several of the hallmarks of cancer.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/18/4476lithium chloridelithium carbonatecervical cancer cellsapoptosis inductioncell cycle arrestmigration inhibition
spellingShingle Juan Carlos García-Acosta
Alejando Israel Castillo-Montoya
Gareth Omar Rostro-Alonso
Edgar Yebrán Villegas-Vázquez
Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados
Luis Sánchez-Sánchez
Hugo López-Muñóz
Lizbeth Cariño-Calvo
Israel López-Reyes
Lilia Patricia Bustamante-Montes
Gerardo Leyva-Gómez
Hernán Cortés
Nadia Judith Jacobo-Herrera
Rosario García-Aguilar
Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández
Gabriela Figueroa-González
Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model
Molecules
lithium chloride
lithium carbonate
cervical cancer cells
apoptosis induction
cell cycle arrest
migration inhibition
title Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model
title_full Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model
title_fullStr Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model
title_full_unstemmed Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model
title_short Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model
title_sort unrevealing lithium repositioning in the hallmarks of cancer effects of lithium salts licl and li sub 2 sub co sub 3 sub in an in vitro cervical cancer model
topic lithium chloride
lithium carbonate
cervical cancer cells
apoptosis induction
cell cycle arrest
migration inhibition
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/18/4476
work_keys_str_mv AT juancarlosgarciaacosta unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT alejandoisraelcastillomontoya unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT garethomarrostroalonso unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT edgaryebranvillegasvazquez unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT lauraitzelquintasgranados unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT luissanchezsanchez unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT hugolopezmunoz unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT lizbethcarinocalvo unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT israellopezreyes unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT liliapatriciabustamantemontes unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT gerardoleyvagomez unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT hernancortes unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT nadiajudithjacoboherrera unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT rosariogarciaaguilar unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT octaviodanielreyeshernandez unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel
AT gabrielafigueroagonzalez unrevealinglithiumrepositioninginthehallmarksofcancereffectsoflithiumsaltsliclandlisub2subcosub3subinaninvitrocervicalcancermodel