Lactylation, a recently identified post-translational modification, has initially been linked to gene transcription regulation through epigenetic mechanisms. However, its role in tumorigenesis—whether as a major driver or a minor regulator—remains uncertain. Here, we summarize the current understanding of lactylation and discuss the inherent challenges in definitively attributing specific biological roles to this modification. We emphasize the necessity for precise methodologies to manipulate lactylation levels within pathophysiologically relevant conditions. Further investigation is required to determine whether lactylation plays a critical role in tumor biology or merely reflects secondary metabolic alterations.

中文翻译：

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癌症中的乳酰化：目前的认识和挑战


乳糖化是最近发现的一种翻译后修饰，最初通过表观遗传机制与基因转录调控有关。然而，它在肿瘤发生中的作用（无论是作为主要驱动因素还是次要调节因子）仍不确定。在这里，我们总结了目前对乳酰化的理解，并讨论了明确将特定生物学作用归因于这种修饰的固有挑战。我们强调在病理生理相关条件下使用精确方法来操纵乳酰化水平的必要性。需要进一步研究以确定乳酸化是否在肿瘤生物学中起关键作用或仅反映继发性代谢改变。