Lactylation Modification and Aging: A Molecular Link in the Life Process

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the research of aging and aging-related diseases. Epigenetic alterations, as an important marker of aging, are also one of the mechanisms that trigger aging. Lactylation modification, also known as lactylation, is a post-translational modification form (PTM) that uses lactate and lysine residues as substrates and belongs to an important field of epigenetic alterations. As an emerging research hotspot in recent years, it has made considerable breakthroughs in the study of human-related diseases, especially cancer. During the aging process, lactylation modification occurs in the body due to changes in lactate concentration, thereby affecting other aging mechanisms. This article reviews lactylation modification and cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy and energy metabolism, summarizes the current influence of lactylation modification on aging-related mechanisms, and makes bold predictions for future research based on the existing research differences.