Lu Jiayin, Wang Zixu, Cao Jing, Chen Yaoxing, Dong Yulan

Laboratory of Neurobiology, College of Animal Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.| Laboratory of Neurobiology, College of Animal Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.| Laboratory of Neurobiology, College of Animal Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.| Laboratory of Neurobiology, College of Animal Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China. yxchen@cau.edu.cn.| Laboratory of Neurobiology, College of Animal Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China. ylbcdong@cau.edu.cn.

Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018 Aug 20;16(1):80. doi: 10.1186/s12958-018-0391-5.

In recent years, the study of oxidative stress (OS) has become increasingly popular. In particular, the role of OS on female fertility is very important and has been focused on closely. The occurrence of OS is due to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are a double-edged sword; they not only play an important role as secondary messengers in many intracellular signaling cascades, but they also exert indispensable effects on pathological processes involving the female genital tract. ROS and antioxidants join in the regulation of reproductive processes in both animals and humans. Imbalances between pro-oxidants and antioxidants could lead to a number of female reproductive diseases. This review focuses on the mechanism of OS and a series of female reproductive processes, explaining the role of OS in female reproduction and female reproductive diseases caused by OS, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, preeclampsia and so on. Many signaling pathways involved in female reproduction, including the Keap1-Nrf2, NF-kappaB, FOXO and MAPK pathways, which are affected by OS, are described, providing new ideas for the mechanism of reproductive diseases.

Das Debabrata, Arur Swathi

Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.| Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.

Mol Reprod Dev. 2017 Jun;84(6):444-459. doi: 10.1002/mrd.22806. Epub 2017 Apr 24.

Insulin signaling regulates various aspects of physiology, such as glucose homeostasis and aging, and is a key determinant of female reproduction in metazoans. That insulin signaling is crucial for female reproductive health is clear from clinical data linking hyperinsulinemic and hypoinsulinemic condition with certain types of ovarian dysfunction, such as altered steroidogenesis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and infertility. Thus, understanding the signaling mechanisms that underlie the control of insulin-mediated ovarian development is important for the accurate diagnosis of and intervention for female infertility. Studies of invertebrate and vertebrate model systems have revealed the molecular determinants that transduce insulin signaling as well as which biological processes are regulated by the insulin-signaling pathway. The molecular determinants of the insulin-signaling pathway, from the insulin receptor to its downstream signaling components, are structurally and functionally conserved across evolution, from worms to mammals-yet, physiological differences in signaling still exist. Insulin signaling acts cooperatively with gonadotropins in mammals and lower vertebrates to mediate various aspects of ovarian development, mainly owing to evolution of the endocrine system in vertebrates. In contrast, insulin signaling in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans directly regulates oocyte growth and maturation. In this review, we compare and contrast insulin-mediated regulation of ovarian functions in mammals, lower vertebrates, C. elegans, and Drosophila, and highlight conserved signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms in general while illustrating insulin's unique role in specific reproductive processes.