CHANGES OF ADP‐RIBOSYLATION OF GTP‐BINDING PROTEIN BY PERTUSSIS TOXIN IN HUMAN PLATELETS DURING LONG‐TERM TREATMENT OF MANIC DEPRESSION WITH LITHIUM CARBONATE

SUMMARY 1. The study was done to determine whether long-term treatment with lithium carbonate affected the guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein in platelet membranes from patients with manic depression. 2. It was found that adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylation of inhibitory G-proteins (40–41 kDa) by pertussis toxin, islet-activating protein in the cell membranes increased about 45% when long-term treatment with lithium carbonate was stopped. 3. These results support the idea that one site for the therapeutic effects of lithium ions is G-proteins.