Skip to main content

Table 1 Major signaling pathways controlling different PCD-related events in the mammalian ovary

From: A matter of new life and cell death: programmed cell death in the mammalian ovary

Pathway

Ovarian event

PCD type

Upstream regulators

Downstream effectors

Effect on ovarian cells

References

PI3K/AKT

PGC depletion

Apoptosis

KITLG

Upregulation of BCL-2, BCL-XL, MCL-1

Inactivation of BIM, BAX, BAD, and FOXO3

Pro-survival

[72, 77,78,79,80]

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

FSH, IGF, EGF, bFGF

Upregulation of NFκB, cFLIPL, BCL-2, MDM2, and XIAP

Inactivation of caspase-8, BIM, BAX, BAD, FOXO1, and FOXO3

Pro-survival

[77, 141,142,143,144, 150, 157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167,168,169,170, 173,174,175,176,177]

Autophagy

FSH

Downregulation of MAP1LC3-II, BECN1, ATG7, and ATG12

Pro-survival

[188, 191]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

PGF2α

Inhibition of AKT

Upregulation of BAX

Pro-apoptotic

[247]

PLC/PKC

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

FSH

Stabilization of cFLIPS

Pro-survival

[143]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

PGF2α

Activation of NFAT

Pro-apoptotic

[231, 242, 243]

Ca2+/AMPK

Luteolysis

Autophagy

PGF2α

Activation of BECN1

Upregulation of MAP1LC3-II

Pro-autophagic

[286]

MEK/ERK

PGC depletion

Apoptosis

KITLG

Activation of RPS6KA1, MYC, STAT1/3

Pro-survival

[72, 77]

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

FSH through β-arrestin

Activation of RPS6KA1, MYC, STAT1/3

Pro-survival

[150, 152]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

LH/hCG through β-arrestin

Activation of RPS6KA1, MYC

Pro-survival

[255, 261]

Autophagy

PGF2α

Upregulation of MAP1LC3-II

Pro-autophagic

[288]

cAMP/PKA

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

FSH

Phosphorylation of CREB, ERK1/2, AKT, GSK3B, β-catenin, FOXO1, p38 MAPK

Downregulation of BIM

Pro-survival

[153,154,155]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

LH/hCG

Progesterone synthesis stimulation

Activation of CREB, GSK3B, and β-catenin

Upregulation of LHCGR, BCL-2, MCL-1, survivin, STAR, and PGE2α

Downregulation of BAX and CD95/Fas

Pro-survival

[156, 256,257,258, 262, 263, 265,266,267,268,269, 277]

PGE2α

Upregulation of LHCGR, BCL-2, STAR

Pro-survival

[273, 277]

Autophagy

LH/hCG

Downregulation of MAP1LC3-II

Pro-survival

[286]

Estrogen signaling

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

Progesterone

Downregulation of CD95/Fas

Upregulation of BCL-2

Pro-survival

[270,271,272,273]

HIF1α

Follicular atresia

Autophagy

Hypoxic stress, FSH

Upregulation of PINK1, Parkin, and BNIP3

Pro-survival

[197,198,199,200,201]

Luteolysis

Autophagy

PGF2α

Upregulation of BNIP3

Pro-autophagic

[287]

JAK/STAT

PGC depletion

Apoptosis

LIF

Upregulation of BCL-2, BCL-XL, MCL-1

Pro-survival

[74,75,76]

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

IFNγ

Upregulation of CD95/Fas

Pro-apoptotic

[125,126,127,128]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

PGF2α

Activation of STAT3

Upregulation of SOCS3

Not defined/pro-apoptotic

[247]

IFNγ

Upregulation of CD95/Fas

Pro-apoptotic

[224, 232]

CHK2/p53/p63

PGC depletion

Apoptosis

Lack of growth factors, nutrient starvation, stress

Activation of p53/TAp63

Upregulation of NOXA, BBC3, and BAX

Pro-apoptotic

[35, 63,64,65, 84, 85]

Death receptor/FADD/caspase-8

PGC depletion

Apoptosis

TNFα

Activation of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[87]

TRAIL

Activation of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[88]

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

FasL

Activation of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126]

TNFα

Activation of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3

Downregulation of BCL-2

Pro-apoptotic

[126, 131,132,133]

TRAIL/DR4/5 receptors

Activation of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[88, 134,135,136]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

FasL

Activation of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[123, 125, 228, 229]

TNFα

Activation of BAK, BAX, and caspase-3

Upregulation of CD95/Fas

Pro-apoptotic

[224, 226, 229, 231, 232]

NFκB-RelA

Follicular atresia

Autophagy

FSH

Activation of JNK

Upregulation of MAP1LC3-II

Pro-autophagic, pro-survival

[193]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

IFNγ

Upregulation of CD95/Fas

Pro-apoptotic

[224, 232, 235, 236]

TNFα

Upregulation of CD95/Fas

Pro-apoptotic

[224, 232, 235, 236]

RIPK1/RIPK3

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

SIRT1

Activation of caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[210]

Necroptosis

AChE-R-derived peptide

Activation of MLKL

Pro-necroptotic

[207,208,209]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

PGF2α

Activation of RIPK3 and caspase-8

Pro-apoptotic

[292]

Necroptosis

AChE-R-derived peptide

Activation of MLKL

Pro-necroptotic

[207]

Ceramide

Activation of MLKL

Pro-necroptotic

[289]

Iron turnover

PGC depletion

Ferroptosis

Transferrin, PCBP2

SLC7A11

Not defined

[110, 111]

NF2/YAP

Follicular atresia

Ferroptosis

BNC1 inactivation

Downregulation of GPX4

Upregulation of NOX1, COX2, TFRC and ACSL4

Pro-ferroptotic

[212]

xc− system

Follicular atresia

Ferroptosis

circRHBG-miR-515-5p

Cystine metabolism

Pro-ferroptotic

[214]

Pathways are not determined up to date

PGC depletion

Apoptosis

Starvation at birth

Upregulation of BAX

Pro-apoptotic

[103]

Autophagy

Starvation at birth

Upregulation of MAP1LC3-II and LAMP1

Pro-autophagic, contradictory effects

[103, 105]

Follicular atresia

Apoptosis

Oxidative stress

Upregulation of BIM and caspase-3

Activation of caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[195]

Autophagy

Oxidative stress

Activation of JNK

Upregulation of BECN1, ATG5, ATG7, and MAP1LC3-II

Pro-autophagic, pro-ADCD

[194, 195]

Luteolysis

Apoptosis

PGF2α

Upregulation of FasL, CD95/Fas, BAX, IFNγ, and TNFα

Activation of caspase-3

Pro-apoptotic

[221, 244, 245, 248]

TNFα

Stimulation of PGF2α secretion

Pro-apoptotic

[246]

Autophagy

PGF2α

Upregulation of MAP1LC3-II

Pro-autophagic, pro-survival

[248]