Chronic lithium chloride administration to rats decreases brain protein level of epsilon (ϵ) subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor-2B

Abstract The eukaryotic initiation factor-2B (eIF-2B) can regulate translation and protein synthesis. We used Western blot analysis to quantify the protein level of the catalytic epsilon (ϵ) subunit of eIF-2B in brains of rats fed lithium chloride (LiCl) for 6 weeks so as to produce a brain lithium concentration that is therapeutically effective in bipolar disorder. The ratio of eIF-2B (ϵ) to actin protein was significantly reduced ( P