乳酰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相关。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素——仍然不确定。在这里，我们总结了目前对乳酰化的理解，并讨论了将特定生物学作用明确归因于这种修饰所面临的固有挑战。我们强调需要精确的方法来在病理生理学相关条件下操纵乳酰化水平。需要进一步研究以确定乳酰化是否在肿瘤生物学中发挥关键作用，或者仅仅反映次生代谢改变。版权所有 © 2024 Elsevier Inc. 保留所有权利。

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.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.