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Advances in understanding palmitoylation in female reproductive disorders: mechanisms and future directions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Protein palmitoylation modification is a key lipidated post-translational modification that dynamically regulates protein function, subcellular localization, and signaling pathways in eukaryotic cells, with important implications for the onset and progression of female reproductive disorders. This article reviews the research progress of protein palmitoylation modification in the female reproductive system, focusing on its mechanisms of action in reproductive pathological processes such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), oocyte ageing and dysfunction, recurrent pregnancy loss, uterine leiomyoma, adenomyosis, and ovarian cancer. For example, it has been found that in PCOS, abnormal palmitoylation modifications lead to reduced conversion of androgens to estrogens, triggering hyperandrogenism. Palmitoylation modifications regulate the subcellular localization and function of key proteins, which in turn affect oocyte maturation and ageing. In recurrent miscarriages, aberrant palmitoylation regulation of T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-3 (Tim-3) in metaphase CD4 + T cells leads to immunomodulatory imbalance. Estrogen is involved in the development of adenomyopathy of the uterus by influencing the membrane localization of the cellular polarity protein Scribble through the acyl protein thioesterase 1/2 (APT1/APT2)-mediated process of S-palmitoylation. However, the study of palmitoylation modification in female reproductive medicine is still in its infancy. In the future, we need to further broaden the disease spectrum, integrate multi-omics technologies, and systematically analyze the spatial and temporal specificity maps of palmitoylation modification in the female reproductive system, so as to provide a new strategy for the precise diagnosis and treatment of female reproductive disorders.

Source: Medicine Plus

DOI: 10.1016/j.medp.2025.100113

Authors: Zhenteng Liu, Feng Deng, Zelin Zhang, Hongchu Bao, Ping Zhou, Rong Li

Institutions: Peking University, Peking University Third Hospital, Qingdao University, Yuhuangding Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Reproductive Biology and Fertility

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China