As a common environmental endocrine disruptor, monobutyl phthalate (MBP) has been connected to reports of ROS accumulation, sperm destruction and reproductive damage. However, the specific mechanism of reproductive injury caused by MBP remains uncertain. Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic, controlled oxidative damage-related cell death that is usually connected with reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. In this work, to evaluate the mechanism of MBP-induced ferroptosis in reproductive damage, bioinformation analysis and experimental validation were used. Based on bioinformatics analysis, the interleukin-6 (IL-6) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) genes may be involved in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, which controls inflammation. Experimental study validated the significance of IL6 and STAT3 in MBP-induced ferroptosis. Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4), Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL6, and STAT3 were all elevated with treatment of MBP, but Glutathione peroxidase 4 was significantly decreased. To determine the participation of IL6/STAT3, we added the ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrastain-1 (Fer-1) and the IL6/STAT3 pathway inhibitor Angoline. In conclusion, we found that MBP induced ferroptosis in TM3 cells to damage male reproductive system through the TNF/IL6/STAT signal pathway, resulting in lipid peroxidation and iron metabolite degradation.
Keywords: Ferroptosis; Inflammation; Male reproduction; Monobutyl phthalate.