Evidence mapPaperPMID 41822903Full record

ReviewMedComm2026

Protein Lactylation in Cancer: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets.

Qianying Ouyang, Qianyu Hu, Caiqin Wang, Yizi He, Ruolan Zeng, Yajun Li, Chang Su, Guige Lu, Xueting Zhu, Ling Xiao and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in MedComm, 2026. 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. Article
  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

11 authors.

Qianying OuyangDepartment of Lymphoma & Hematology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China.
Qianyu HuDepartment of Histology and Embryology Xiangya School of Basic Medical Sciences Central South University Changsha China.
Caiqin WangDepartment of Lymphoma & Hematology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China.
Yizi HeDepartment of Lymphoma & Hematology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China.
Ruolan ZengDepartment of Lymphoma & Hematology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China.
Yajun LiDepartment of Lymphoma & Hematology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China.
Chang SuDepartment of Histology and Embryology Xiangya School of Basic Medical Sciences Central South University Changsha China.
Guige LuDepartment of Histology and Embryology Xiangya School of Basic Medical Sciences Central South University Changsha China.
Xueting ZhuDepartment of Lymphoma & Hematology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China.
Ling XiaoDepartment of Histology and Embryology Xiangya School of Basic Medical Sciences Central South University Changsha China.
Hui ZhouDepartment of Lymphoma & Hematology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Warburg effect states that cancer cells preferentially undergo aerobic glycolysis, producing lactate as a key metabolic byproduct. Lactate acidifies the tumor microenvironment (TME) and serves as a signaling molecule and substrate for lysine lactylation (Kla), a novel posttranslational modification (PTM) discovered in 2019 that links glycolytic metabolism to epigenetic and proteomic reprogramming. The reversible modification of histones and nonhistone proteins orchestrates oncogenic adaptation and drives tumor progression. However, gaps persist in our understanding of the multifactorial regulation of lactylation and its translational potential in overcoming tumor heterogeneity and resistance. This review highlights the emerging roles of lactylation in cancer therapies, including the enhancement of DNA repair mechanisms during chemotherapy, stabilization of key signaling effectors upon targeted therapy, and promotion of an immunosuppressive TME in immunotherapy. We further examined regulatory factors associated with lactylation, from competitive PTMs and genetic mutations to microbial influences and environmental signals. Additionally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting lactylation via indirect modulators currently under investigation and the visualization of lactate and lactylation modifications. By synthesizing these insights, this review highlights lactylation as a reversible metabolic-epigenetic axis for precision oncology, enabling predictive biomarkers, combination strategies, and novel interventions to address the dynamic challenges of cancer.

Indexed as

lactatelactylationmetabolic‐epigenetic axisprecision oncology

Identifiers

PMID41822903
PMCPMC12976468

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.