The anti-proliferative effect of lithium chloride on melanoma cells and its reversion by myo-inositol

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Abstract
The effect of LiCl on melanoma cell growth and differentiation was studied in mouse and human melanoma cell lines. LiCl markedly inhibited B16 and HT-144 melanoma cell growth in vitro. Clonogenicity in soft agar of the melanoma cells was also markedly inhibited by LiCl. Pretreatment of B16 mouse melanoma cells with LiCl delayed the appearance of melanoma tumours in syngeneic mice. Growth inhibition of cells was accompanied by morphological and biochemical alterations. LiCl induced cell enlargement and formation of dendrite-like structures. The activity of NADPH cytochrome c reductase, an enzymatic marker of endoplasmic reticulum was significantly (2-3 fold) increased. Addition of myo-inositol to cell cultures partially reversed the anti-proliferative and morphological effects of LiCl on melanoma cells. This finding may suggest that the anti-proliferative effect of LiCl is related to its effect on phosphatidylinositol metabolism.