title: Anacardic acid induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in the A549             human lung adenocarcinoma cells.
abstract: Anacardic acid (AA) is a constituent of the cashew nut shell and is known as an inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). We investigated the cytotoxicity of AA on cancer cells and more experiments to reveal the cell death mechanism focused on A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells for our interest in lung cancer. To examine the molecular mechanism of cell death in AA treated A549 cells, we performed experiments such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), western blot analysis, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), genomic DNA extraction and staining with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). For the first time we revealed that AA induces caspase-independent apoptosis with no inhibition of cytotoxicity by pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-fmk, in A549 cells. Our results showed the possibility of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis through the activation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and an intrinsic pathway executioner such as cytochrome c. This study will be helpful in revealing the cell death mechanisms and in developing potential drugs for lung cancer using AA.
authors: Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Sciences, Pukyong                     National University, Busan 608-737, Republic of Korea.
authors: Yeong-Ae
authors: YA
authors: Seong
authors: Pyung-Gyun
authors: PG
authors: Shin
authors: Gun-Do
authors: GD
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology; D048729:Anacardic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; D048729:Anacardic Acids; D051033:Apoptosis Inducing Factor; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D016328:NF-kappa B; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone; C088115:anacardic acid; D045304:Cytochromes c; D020169:Caspases