CMSP exerts anti-tumor effects on small cell lung cancer cells by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role and mechanism of p-hydroxyl cinnamaldehyde (CMSP) in triggering ferroptosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells.Methods The impact of CMSP on ferroptosis in H1688 and SW1271 cells was assessed through cell experiments and biological information analysis. Moreover, the expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) in SCLC tissue was examined.Results Following CMSP treatment, a concentration-dependent increase in cell death was observed, and differentially expressed genes were found to be associated with ferroptosis. CMSP notably facilitated ferroptosis events, such as elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+, malondialdehyde (MDA), transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1), divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), and decreased levels of glutathione (GSH), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Furthermore, CMSP promoted mitochondrial dysfunction, manifested as reduced mitochondrial volume, increased membrane density, elevated mitochondrial ROS, and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. Consistently, the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant Mito-TEMPO reversed CMSP-induced ferroptosis. Expression of the HMOX1 gene was markedly increased under CMSP treatment, while lower expression was observed in cancer tissue compared to adjacent tissue.Conclusion CMSP triggers mitochondrial dysfunction via HMOX1 activation, leading to ferroptosis in SCLC cells, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic agent for SCLC.