Key result
Lithium at 60 mM completely inhibited HSV DNA synthesis in infected cells, equivalent to the inhibition caused by potassium starvation.
Lithium inhibits HSV DNA synthesis likely by displacing potassium from a potassium-dependent biochemical reaction.
Hypothesis-generating for lithium as HSV inhibitor; leaves open clinical translation pending in vivo validation.
All herpes simplex virus (HSV) infected cell-specific polypeptides (ICSPs) were synthesized in the presence of lithium at a concentration (60 mM) inhibitory to the production of infectious virus. Yields of certain ICSPs were increased and others, in particular glycoprotein C, decreased. HSV DNA synthesis was completely inhibited; synthesis and in vitro activities of HSV DNA polymerase and thymidine kinase were decreased but to a degree insufficient to account for the complete inhibition of HSV DNA synthesis. HSV DNA synthesis was inhibited to an equivalent degree by either incubation with 60 mM-lithium or by potassium starvation; both procedures decreased intracellular potassium by an equivalent amount as adjudged by X-ray microanalysis. We conclude that lithium inhibits HSV DNA synthesis by displacement of potassium from a potassium-dependent biochemical reaction or by other physiological changes brought about by the loss of cellular potassium. The possibility that lithium also directly inhibits a virus replicative event cannot be excluded.
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Hartley et al. (1993) studied Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. Lithium vs. Potassium starvation was evaluated on HSV DNA synthesis. Lithium at 60 mM completely inhibited HSV DNA synthesis in infected cells, equivalent to the inhibition caused by potassium starvation.