Salvianolic Acid A Induces Ferroptosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer via the SRC/YAP/GPX4 Axis

Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor worldwide in terms of both incidence and mortality, and the development of highly effective, low-toxicity therapeutic strategies remains an urgent clinical challenge. Here, we report that Salvianolic acid A (SAA), a natural compound extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, inhibits the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and induces ferroptosis. Mechanistically, SAA acts as an SRC kinase inhibitor, blocking SRC autophosphorylation at Tyr416, thereby disrupting the SRC-YAP interaction and preventing YAP nuclear translocation. This leads to GPX4 downregulation and subsequently triggers ferroptosis, characterized by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+ accumulation, and lipid peroxidation. Overexpression of YAP abrogates the effects of SAA, while inhibiting SRC or YAP enhances its activity. SAA inhibits tumor growth and downregulates key effector molecules in vivo. In summary, this study reveals a novel mechanism by which SAA induces ferroptosis via the SRC/YAP/GPX4 axis, supporting its further development as a candidate therapeutic agent for NSCLC.