Reactive oxygen species, not Ca²⁺, mediates methotrexate‐induced autophagy and apoptosis in spermatocyte cell line

Methotrexate (MTX) is widely used to treat cancers and systemic autoimmune diseases. However, it is severely toxic to healthy cells, especially those of the reproductive system, and therefore poses a great risk to patient fertility. In addition, the underlying mechanism of MTX-induced reproductive toxicity has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, a spermatocyte cell line (GC2) was used as an in vitro model system to determine whether MTX induces...