Activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) superfamily, has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and progression of various cancers. However, it remains unclear whether activin A induces apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway. In the present study, BrdU, flow cytometry and western blotting were used to examine cell proliferation, apoptosis and protein expression, respectively. The present study revealed that activin A inhibited human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and upregulated the protein levels of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), growth arrest and DNA damage‑inducible protein 34 (GADD34), cleaved‑caspase‑3 and caspase‑12. Furthermore, the administration of activin A did not alter the levels of suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic 3 (Smad3) or phosphorylated (p)‑Smad3 proteins, whereas, it significantly elevated the levels of ActRIIA and p‑extracellular signal regulated kinase proteins 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) proteins in A549 cells. The apoptotic effects of activin A on A549 cells were attenuated by the ERK inhibitor FR180204, which also downregulated CHOP and caspase‑12 protein levels. Additionally, activin A increased intracellular calcium flux in A549 cells, and the calcium ion chelator BAPTA acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA‑AM) inhibited activin A‑induced A549 cell apoptosis, whereas the calcium agonist ionomycin significantly increased apoptosis of A549 cells induced by activin A. These findings indicated that the activation of the ER stress pathway resulting in apoptosis of A549 cells triggered by activin A is facilitated by the ActRIIA‑ERK1/2 signaling and calcium signaling. The present findings suggest that the agonists of ERK and calcium signaling exhibit promising clinical therapeutic potential for the induction of apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma.
Keywords: ActRIIA‑ERK1/2 signaling; Ca2+ signaling; activin A; apoptosis; endoplasmic reticulum stress; lung adenocarcinoma.