Protein lactylation and immunotherapy in gliomas: A novel regulatory axis in tumor metabolism (Review)

Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors, and exhibit highly heterogeneous and aggressive biological behaviors. Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of gliomas, and lactate accumulation serves a critical role in tumor progression. In addition to its traditional role as a metabolic byproduct, lactate has been recognized as a signaling molecule that modifies proteins through lactylation, which is a novel post‑translational modification. Lactate‑induced lactylation of histone and non‑histone proteins is emerging as a key epigenetic and metabolic regulator that influences glioma development, immune evasion, angiogenesis and therapeutic resistance. The present review provides mechanistic insights into protein lactylation, its role in glioma progression and its potential therapeutic implications. Targeting lactate metabolism and lactylation‑modifying enzymes holds promise for improving glioma treatment outcomes.