Research progress of lactylation modification in tumors (Review)

Lactic acid was once thought to be only a metabolic product of glycolysis. An increasing number of studies, however, have reported that lactic acid produced by glycolysis is a multifunctional signaling molecule that not only serves as an essential energy source, signaling molecule and immunomodulatory molecule but also controls metabolism, the immune response and intercellular communication. It has been discovered that lactylation is a posttranslational modification of proteins that regulates and creates an acidic tumor microenvironment, directly regulates gene expression and promotes the recruitment and management of immune signaling molecules, among other processes, to promote tumor survival and progression. The lactylation of histones and non-histone proteins, which is regulated by different mechanisms, is a notable subject of current research on the tumor microenvironment and tumor progression. The present review covered the discovery of lactylation and the research advances on the role of lactylation in metabolism, immunity, metastasis and cell proliferation across different tumors. These findings open up the possibility for in-depth investigation of the role of lactylation in tumors.