title: Cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of caffeate derivatives on A549 human lung carcinoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caffeate derivatives have been reported to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. To reveal the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of caffeate derivatives, we studied the effects of octyl, phenylpropyl, and decyl caffeates on cell growth and apoptosis in A549 human lung carcinoma cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  A549 human lung carcinoma cells were treated with 0-100 μM of caffeate derivatives for 0-48 hours. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects were evaluated by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for cell viability, propidium iodide staining method for cell morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential analysis, and Western blot for protein expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Octyl, phenylpropyl, and decyl caffeates all significantly decreased the cell viability of A549 cells with 50% inhibitory concentration values of 54.2 ± 10.1 μM, 80.2 ± 1.3 μM, and 74.9 ± 2.1 μM, respectively. Propidium iodide staining revealed that apoptotic bodies appeared when cells were treated with octyl and decyl caffeates. Treatment of A549 cells with octyl and decyl caffeates caused the loss of mitochondria membrane potential. Western blots revealed that octyl and decyl caffeates stimulate an increase in the protein levels of Fas, FasL, and Apaf-1. Moreover, these compounds changed the levels of pro- and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members and induced the activation of caspase-12, -9, and -3, which was followed by cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that octyl and decyl caffeates induce cell apoptosis in A549 human lung carcinoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yueh-Hsiung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Nae-Cherng
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Post-Modern Agriculture, MingDao University, ChangHua, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Biotechnology, MingDao University, ChangHua, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Cheng-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wei-Tang
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: clhsu@csmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chin-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D002109:Caffeic Acids; C474929:octyl caffeate
keywords: A549 cells; apoptosis; caffeate derivatives; protein expression