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Review
. 2025 Jun 13:13:1598232.
doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1598232. eCollection 2025.

Exploring lactylation and cancer biology: insights from pathogenesis to clinical applications

Zixuan Gou #  1 , Qianchuang Sun #  2 , Jiannan Li  3
Affiliations
Review

Exploring lactylation and cancer biology: insights from pathogenesis to clinical applications

Zixuan Gou et al. Front Cell Dev Biol. .

Abstract

As a byproduct of glycolysis, lactate functions as a signaling molecule, a substrate for energy metabolism, and a regulator of the tumor microenvironment (TME). It is involved in various biological processes, including energy shuttling, tumor growth and invasion, drug resistance, and immune evasion. Lactylation, a recently identified post-translational modification (PTM), acts as a bridge between gene regulation and cellular metabolism, thus playing a crucial role in tumor biology. Similar to other epigenetic modifications, lactylation influences the spatial conformation of chromatin, modulates DNA accessibility, and regulates gene expression. It intricately participates in TME-related processes by orchestrating immune state transitions and enhancing the malignant characteristics of tumors. This review summarizes lactylation-related genes in tumors, the role of lactylation in the TME, the interactions of the genes with other metabolic pathways, and the potential mechanisms underlying tumor progression as well as their clinical implications. Despite its nascent stage, research on the epigenetic regulation of tumor-related genes by lactylation holds promise. In this review, we highlighted unresolved challenges in this field and provided insights that may guide the development of novel targeted therapies for cancer.

Keywords: lactylation; post-translational modification; prognostic biomarkers; therapeutic target; tumor progression.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Lactylation and targeting strategies.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Lactylation and immune cells in tumor microenviroment.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
The roles of lactylation in tumor progression.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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