Key result
Subtherapeutic lithium induces eccentric cardiac remodeling and increases stroke volume in mice, independent of SERCA function.
Why the study?
Does subtherapeutic lithium supplementation alter cardiac morphology and function in young-adult wild-type male mice?
Does subtherapeutic lithium supplementation alter cardiac morphology and function in young-adult wild-type male mice?
Subtherapeutic lithium supplementation induces physiological eccentric cardiac hypertrophy and increases stroke volume in mice, independent of SERCA function.
Hypothesis-generating in mice; does not inform lithium use or monitoring in patients.
uptake assays, and Western blotting for glycogen synthase kinase-3β, SERCA2, and its inhibitor phospholamban (PLN) were performed on isolated left ventricle tissue. After 12 weeks of subtherapeutic Li supplementation, the heart underwent eccentric remodeling, exhibited by increased left ventricle internal diameter and volumes during systole and diastole, ultimately leading to greater stroke volume. However, we did not find any specific alterations in systolic or diastolic functional measures; nor were there any changes in SERCA activity and its content relative to PLN after Li supplementation. Thus, while Li supplementation appears to positively influence cardiac morphology to increase stroke volume, these changes are independent of changes to SERCA function.
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Hamstra et al. (2025) studied Healthy (wild-type mice). Lithium supplementation was evaluated on Cardiac morphology, stroke volume, and SERCA function. Subtherapeutic lithium supplementation for 12 weeks in young-adult male mice induced eccentric cardiac remodeling and increased stroke volume, independent of changes to SERCA function.
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