Signaling and scavenging: Unraveling the complex network of antioxidant enzyme regulation in plant cold adaptation

• Elucidates the complex regulatory network of antioxidant enzymes under cold stress, highlighting the key roles of ICE-CBF-COR pathway and transcription factors in plant cold adaptation. • Analyzes the regulatory mechanisms of plant hormones (ABA, BR, JA, SA) on antioxidant enzyme activity, proposing future research directions for breeding cold-resistant crops. • Evaluates the contributions and limitations of model plants ( Arabidopsis, Oryza , etc.) in cold stress research, emphasizing the need for crop-specific studies and exploration of non-coding RNAs in ROS regulation. Plants have evolved antioxidant defense mechanisms to respond to low - temperature stress. Low temperatures promote ROS accumulation via pathways like photosynthetic chain damage and membrane lipid peroxidation. Excessive ROS harms cellular structures and functions. The plant antioxidant enzyme system, including SOD, CAT, APX, among others, works to scavenge ROS and maintain redox balance. The ICE-CBF-COR signaling pathway, along with transcription factors such as bHLH, WRKY, NAC, and MYB, regulates the expression of antioxidant enzyme genes, thereby enhancing plant cold tolerance. Plant hormones including ABA, BR, JA, and SA also play roles by modulating antioxidant enzyme activity and ROS scavenging capacity. However, many issues remain unresolved, such as the precise regulation of the antioxidant enzyme system, the synergy between different antioxidant enzymes, crosstalk among plant hormones, and the role of non-coding RNAs. Future research should use technologies like yeast one-hybrid, multi-omics, gene editing, high-throughput sequencing, and single-cell sequencing to provide a theoretical basis and regulatory targets for breeding cold-resistant crop varieties.