(-)-Guaiol triggers immunogenic cell death and inhibits tumor growth in non-small cell lung cancer.

(-)-Guaiol is a sesquiterpenoid found in many traditional Chinese medicines with potent antitumor activity. However, its therapeutic effect and mechanism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been fully elucidated. In this study, (-)-Guaiol was found to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) in NSCLC in vitro. Using (-)-Guaiol in vivo, we found that (-)-Guaiol could suppress tumor growth, increase dendritic cell activation, and enhance T-cell infiltration. Vaccination experiments suggest that cellular immunoprophylaxis after (-)-Guaiol intervention can suppress tumor growth. Previous studies have found that (-)-Guaiol induces apoptosis and autophagy in NSCLC. Apoptosis and autophagy are closely related to ICD. To explore whether autophagy and apoptosis are involved in (-)-Guaiol-induced ICD, we used inhibitors of apoptosis and autophagy. The results showed that the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) was partly reversed after inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy. In conclusion, these results suggested that the (-)-Guaiol triggers immunogenic cell death and inhibits tumor growth in NSCLC.