The role of lactic acid metabolism in anti-tumor immunity

Zhenhao Wang; Hanlin Du; Zhuming Yang; Yuanyuan Zhang; Zhenya Hong

doi:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2026.105183

The role of lactic acid metabolism in anti-tumor immunity

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2026 Feb 6:221:105183. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2026.105183. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zhenhao Wang¹, Hanlin Du¹, Zhuming Yang¹, Yuanyuan Zhang², Zhenya Hong³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
² Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China. Electronic address: zhangyy9301@163.com.
³ Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China. Electronic address: hongzhenya@126.com.

PMID: 41655750
DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2026.105183

Abstract

Recent studies have highlighted the pivotal role of lactate metabolism in key oncological processes, such as tumor proliferation, resistance and immune evasion. The discovery of histone lactylation pathways has further underscored the essential link between cellular energy metabolism and epigenetics, offering new insights into cancer biology. This review provides a systematic overview of lactate-immune crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment (TME), discusses the clinical relevance of lactate metabolism and lactylation biomarkers, and highlights emerging therapeutic strategies that target lactate-related pathways. By elucidating the lactate-regulated networks in cancer progression, this review offers insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms and potential pathways for the development of targeted therapies.

Keywords: Immunity; Lactate; Metabolism; TME.

Publication types

Review