생화학분자생물학회

	Hyunsoo Rho ( hrho@ewha.ac.kr )
	2025-present	Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, South Korea
	2023-2025	Research Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, Jeonbuk National University, South Korea
	2016-2023	Ph.D., College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
	2012-2014	M.S., College of Pharmcy, Seoul National University, South Korea

Protein lactylation in cancer: mechanisms and potential therapeutic implications

Increased glycolysis, which leads to high lactate production, is a common feature of cancer cells. Recent evidence suggests that lactate plays a role in the post-translational modification of histone and nonhistone proteins via lactylation. In contrast to genetic mutations, lactylation in cancer cells is reversible. Thus, reversing lactylation can be exploited as a pharmacological intervention for various cancers. Here we discuss recent advances in histone and nonhistone lactylation in cancer, including l-, d- and s-lactylation, as well as alanyl-tRNA synthetase as a novel lactyltransferase. We also discuss potential approaches for targeting lactylation as a therapeutic opportunity in cancer treatment.

Exp Mol Med 57, 545–553 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-025-01410-7
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40128358/