Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (Sep 2022)

Lactate metabolism in human health and disease

  • Xiaolu Li,
  • Yanyan Yang,
  • Bei Zhang,
  • Xiaotong Lin,
  • Xiuxiu Fu,
  • Yi An,
  • Yulin Zou,
  • Jian-Xun Wang,
  • Zhibin Wang,
  • Tao Yu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-022-01151-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 22

Abstract

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Abstract The current understanding of lactate extends from its origins as a byproduct of glycolysis to its role in tumor metabolism, as identified by studies on the Warburg effect. The lactate shuttle hypothesis suggests that lactate plays an important role as a bridging signaling molecule that coordinates signaling among different cells, organs and tissues. Lactylation is a posttranslational modification initially reported by Professor Yingming Zhao’s research group in 2019. Subsequent studies confirmed that lactylation is a vital component of lactate function and is involved in tumor proliferation, neural excitation, inflammation and other biological processes. An indispensable substance for various physiological cellular functions, lactate plays a regulatory role in different aspects of energy metabolism and signal transduction. Therefore, a comprehensive review and summary of lactate is presented to clarify the role of lactate in disease and to provide a reference and direction for future research. This review offers a systematic overview of lactate homeostasis and its roles in physiological and pathological processes, as well as a comprehensive overview of the effects of lactylation in various diseases, particularly inflammation and cancer.