Evidence mapPaperPMID 41041837Full record

ReviewMolecular medicine reports2025

Impact of lactylation on the pathogenesis of cancer and its clinical application potential (Review).

Xiaomei Wang, Jiaqing Chen, Bing Wang, Yanping Li, Xinyue Zhou, Yingqiu Song, Chenggui Miao, Yurong Huang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Molecular medicine reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Xiaomei Wang *Department of Nursing Management and Education, School of Nursing, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China.
Jiaqing Chen *Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China.
Bing Wang *Department of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China.
Yanping LiDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China.
Xinyue ZhouDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China.
Yingqiu SongDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China.
Chenggui MiaoDepartment of Pharmacology, School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui 230012, P.R. China.
Yurong HuangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dysregulation of lactate metabolism is a hallmark of multiple pathologies, including cancer, which coordinates metabolic reprogramming and malignant progression. Lactylation, a lactate‑derived post‑translational modification, is a key regulator of tumor cell adaptation, aggressive behavior and immune escape. This modification mechanism links lactate accumulation to carcinogenic signaling and epigenetic dysregulation, providing novel insights into cancer pathogenesis. The present review summarizes the roles of lactylation in tumor microenvironment (TME) remodeling, therapeutic resistance and immunomodulation, and outlines the challenges to clinical translation. Lactate drives the lactylation of histone and non‑histone proteins, and alters chromatin structure and transcriptional programs to maintain tumorigenesis. In the TME, lactylation modulates the phenotypes of stromal cells (such as cancer‑associated fibroblasts) and immune cells (including macrophages and T cells), forming an immunosuppressive niche. Lactylation can also polarize macrophages towards a tumor‑promoting state, inhibit CD8+ T cells and upregulate immune checkpoints. Clinically, lactylation is associated with chemotherapy resistance (such as paclitaxel in breast cancer) and a poor prognosis, highlighting its usefulness as a biomarker. Notably, therapeutic strategies targeting lactate synthesis (such as lactate dehydrogenase A inhibitors), lactate transport (for example, monocarboxylate transporter 1/4 blockers) or lactase (such as histone lactate transferase) have shown promise in preclinical models. In conclusion, lactylation promotes tumor progression while also providing a viable therapeutic target. Deciphering its environment‑dependent mechanisms, particularly its interactions with immune checkpoints and metabolic vulnerabilities, may advance precision oncology. Validating biomarkers and therapies centered on lactylation is a key frontier in improving clinical outcomes.

Indexed as

Lactic AcidNeoplasmsProtein Processing, Post-TranslationalAnimalsHumansTumor MicroenvironmentLactic Acidcancerclinical application potentialdrug resistancelactatelactylation

Identifiers

PMID41041837
PMCPMC12516806

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.