Glycolysis enzymes and cellular lactylation in tumour

Cellular lactylation, a recently identified post-translational modification, has emerged as a crucial regulator in various biological processes, particularly in cancer. The discovery of lactylation provides a new perspective for understanding the functional significance of the Warburg effect in tumour cells. Enzymes involved in the glycolytic pathway modulate lactylation, influencing tumour genesis and progression. This review explores the intricate relationship between glycolysis, lactylation and tumour biology, with a focus on how enzymes participating in glycolysis impact lactylation in cancer cells. We discuss how glycolytic enzymes regulate lactylation and highlight their broader implications in tumour biology. The role of lactylation in shaping the tumour microenvironment underscores its increasing significance as a biomarker for cancer prognosis and a target for therapeutic intervention. Therefore, we also summarised the potential of targeting lactylation as a cancer therapy strategy. KEY POINTS: Glycolytic enzymes regulate lactylation in cancer cells. Lactylation drives tumour growth, metastasis, immune evasion and contributes to microenvironment remodelling Targeting lactylation holds promise for cancer therapy.