Journal of cellular physiology
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High fluence low-power laser irradiation (HF-LPLI) can induce cell apoptosis via the mitochondria/caspase-3 pathway. Here, we further investigated the mechanism involved in the apoptotic process in human lung adenocarcinoma cells (ASTC-a-1) at a laser irradiation fluence of 120 J/cm(2) (633 nm). Cytochrome c release was ascribed to mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) because the release was prevented by cyclosporine (CsA), a specific inhibitor of MPT. ⋯ Taken together, these results showed that HF-LPLI induced cell apoptosis via the CsA-sensitive MPT, which was ROS-dependent. Furthermore, there existed a secondary signaling pathway through Bax activation. The observed link between MPT and triggering ROS could be a fundamental phenomenon in HF-LPLI-induced cell apoptosis.