Melatonin alleviates di-butyl phthalate (DBP)-induced ferroptosis of mouse leydig cells via inhibiting Sp2/VDAC2 signals

As one of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) has been extensively used in industry. DBP has been shown to cause damage to Leydig cells, yet its underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we show that DBP induces ferroptosis of mouse Leydig cells via upregulating the expression of Sp2, a transcription factor. Also, Sp2 is identified to promote the transcription of Vdac2 gene by binding to its promoter and subsequently involved in DBP-induced ferroptosis of Leydig cells. In addition, DBP is proved to induce ferroptosis via inducing oxidative stress, while inhibition of oxidative stress by melatonin alleviates DBP-induced ferroptosis and upregulation of Sp2 and VDAC2. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that melatonin can alleviate DBP-induced ferroptosis of mouse Leydig cells via inhibiting oxidative stress-triggered Sp2/VDAC2 signals.