KCNK1 promotes proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells by activating lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and up-regulating H3K18 lactylation

Voltage-gated potassium channels associated with head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a common disease in otorhinolaryngology. Its prevalence is higher in men than in women and is mostly related to tobacco, alcohol and viral infections. Despite significant advances in the treatment of HNC in recent years, the mortality rate is still high and most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and the prognosis for these patients is even worse. Earlier metastasis makes the treatment of HNC trickier. Therefore, actively seeking ways to treat HNC more effectively has been the goal of head and neck surgeons. Potassium (K+) channels are the most diverse ion channels found in all areas of life. Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels are the most important subfamily of K+ channels. Multiple Kv channels are associated with the development of HNC. This review focuses on several Kv channels associated with HNC.

H3K9/18 lactylation regulates DNA damage due to nickel exposure in human bronchial epithelial cells

Nickel, a well-known heavy metal with lung carcinogenic properties, is recognized for its effects on cellular metabolism, oxidative stress, and gene expression. While these cellular alterations have prompted investigations into its potential impact on histone modifications, specific associations with histone lactylation remain under exploration. In the present study, we demonstrate that nickel exposure induces lactylation of histone H3 at lysines 9 (H3K9) and 18 (H3K18), accompanied by reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and DNA damage in human bronchial epithelial Beas-2B cells. Inhibition of H3K9 and H3K18 lactylation, achieved by overexpressing mutated H3K9R and H3K18R, respectively, markedly abolishes ROS generation and DNA damage caused by nickel exposure. This highlights the novel biological effects of H3K9 and H3K18 lactylation in nickel-induced lung toxicity. Mechanistic investigations show that nickel-induced lactylation of H3K9 and H3K18 is mediated by elevated LDHA expression, leading to lactate accumulation, which results from the upregulation of LDHA mRNA transcription through HIF-1α/c-Jun axis and enhanced LDHA protein stability via TNF-α-mediated induction of HSP70, respectively. Our findings uncover a novel effect of nickel exposure on histone H3 lactylation and its biological impact on ROS accumulation and DNA damage through the HIF-1α/c-Jun/LDHA and TNF-α/HSP70/LDHA pathways. These results provide significant insights into the role of histone lactylation in heavy metal-induced lung toxicity.

The regulatory role of protein lactylation in various diseases: Special focus on the regulatory role of non-histone lactylation

Lactylation, an emerging form of post-translational modification derived from lactate, plays a pivotal role in numerous cellular processes such as tumor proliferation, metabolism, inflammation, and embryonic development. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which lactylation controls these biological functions in both physiological and pathological contexts remain elusive. This review summarizes the latest reported regulatory mechanisms of protein lactylation in various diseases since 2024, introducing the latest research progress regarding the regulatory functions of protein lactylation in pathological processes, with particular attention to the regulatory mechanisms of non-histone lactylation modification in diseases. Finally, it outlines the potential of targeted lactylation therapy, proposes the main directions for future research, and emphasizes its scientific significance for future studies.

LDHA-mediated YAP lactylation promotes the tumor progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing YAP dephosphorylation and activation

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the deadliest cancers globally. Yes-Associated Protein (YAP), a Hippo pathway effector, crucially regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis. Recent research has implicated YAP's role in HCC progression, but the mechanisms are unclear. This study aims to clarify YAP's function in HCC, emphasizing its regulation of key pathways and targets.

RESULTS

Gene knockout and overexpression models were established in nude mice and cell lines of HCC cells to investigate YAP's impact on tumorigenesis. Additionally, functional assays and molecular biology techniques were employed to identify YAP's regulatory networks. The study demonstrates that LDHA-regulated lactate production promotes YAP activation and malignant phenotypes in HCC. Overexpression of LDHA in HepG2 and Huh7 cells increased lactate levels and activated the YAP pathway, enhancing cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Lactate treatment also promoted these malignant phenotypes by inhibiting YAP phosphorylation at Ser127. In a xenograft model, lactate accelerated tumor growth through YAP activation. YAP lactylation at K102 antagonized its Ser127 phosphorylation, further promoting malignant progression.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the significance of YAP in HCC pathogenesis, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets for HCC management.

Lactylation as a metabolic epigenetic modification: Mechanistic insights and regulatory pathways from cells to organs and diseases

In recent years, lactylation, a novel post-translational modification, has demonstrated a unique role in bridging cellular metabolism and epigenetic regulation. This modification exerts a dual-edged effect in both cancer and non-cancer diseases by dynamically integrating the supply of metabolic substrates and the activity of modifying enzymes: on one hand, it promotes tissue homeostasis and repair through the activation of repair genes; on the other, it exacerbates pathological progression by driving malignant phenotypes. In the field of oncology, lactylation regulates key processes such as metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance, thereby shaping the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment. In non-cancerous diseases, including neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disorders, its aberrant activation can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, fibrosis, and chronic inflammation. Existing studies have revealed a dynamic regulatory network formed by the cooperation of modifying and demodifying enzymes, and have identified mechanisms such as subcellular localization and RNA metabolism intervention that influence disease progression. Nevertheless, several challenges remain in the field. This article comprehensively summarizes the disease-specific regulatory mechanisms of lactylation, with the aim of providing a theoretical foundation for its targeted therapeutic application.

LDHA enhances brain injury and apoptosis after intracerebral hemorrhage by promoting P53 transcription through increasing P53 lactylation

Intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH) is a cerebrovascular disease with high disability and fatality rate, and inhibition of neuronal cell death is the key to improve ICH injury. Histone lactylation is induced by lactate, it role in ICH remains unclear. P53 plays a key role in apoptosis. This study aims to investigate the role of lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA), a key factor in the production of lactate, in the development of ICH and its regulation of P53. In vitro and in vivo ICH model was construct by stimulation of hemin on PC12 cells and collagenase IV injection in C57BL/6 J mice. Lactate production was detected using a lactate kit. LDHA and P53 expression was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Western blot was performed to detect the protein level of pan-kla, apoptosis-related factors and histone lactylation. Impact of LDHA in ICH was evaluated by measuring cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, neurobehavioral function assessment and pathological observation. Results showed that lactate production, LDHA expression and histone lactylation were increased after ICH. LDHA knockdown promoted cell viability and proliferation but suppressed apoptosis after ICH in vitro, and improved neurological function, brain injury and apoptosis after ICH in vivo. Mechanically, LDHA knockdown inhibited P53 transcription by decreasing lactylation on P53 promoter. Moreover, P53 overexpression restored apoptosis and brain injury after ICH improved by LDHA knockdown. In conclusion, we demonstrated that LDHA enhanced brain injury and apoptosis after ICH by promoting P53 transcription through increasing lactylation on P53 promoter. These results may provide a novel therapeutic target for ICH injury.

Lactate metabolism and lactylation in breast cancer: mechanisms and implications

As the end-product of glycolysis, lactate serves as a regulator of protein lactylation in addition to being an energy substrate, metabolite, and signaling molecule in cancer. The reprogramming of glucose metabolism and the Warburg effect in breast cancer results in extensive lactate production and accumulation, making it likely that lactylation in tumor tissue is also abnormal. This review summarizes evidence on lactylation derived from studies of lactate metabolism and disease, highlighting the role of lactate in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer and detailing the levels of lactylation and cancer-promoting mechanisms across various tumors. The roles of lactate and lactylation, along with potential intervention mechanisms, are presented and discussed, offering valuable insights for future research on the role of lactylation in tumors.

Lactylation in cancer progression and drug resistance

Lactate plays a crucial role as an energy substrate, metabolite, and signaling molecule in cancer. Lactate has long been considered a byproduct of glycolysis. Still, the lactate shuttle hypothesis has changed the lactate paradigm, revealing the implications of lactate in cellular metabolism and cellular communications that can transcend the compartment barrier and occur within and between different cells, tissues, and organs. Due to the Warburg effect, the tumor produces a large amount of lactate, thus creating a low-nutrition, hypoxic, and low-pH tumor microenvironment (TME). Consequently, immunosuppressive networks are built to acquire immune evasion potential and regulate tumor growth. Lactylation is a newly discovered post-translational modification of lysine residues with the capacity for transcriptional regulation via histone modification and modulation of non-histone protein functions, which links gene regulation to cellular metabolism by aberrant metabolism activity and epigenetic modification. There is growing evidence that lactylation plays a crucial role in cancer progression and drug resistance. Targeting lactylation enzymes or metabolic pathways has shown promising effects in suppressing cancer progression and drug resistance, highlighting the therapeutic potential of this modification. Therefore, in this review, we offer a systematic overview of lactate homeostasis in physiological and pathological processes as well as discuss the influence of lactylation in cancer progression and drug resistance and underlying molecular mechanisms, providing a theoretical basis for further research.

The role of protein lactylation: A kaleidoscopic post-translational modification in cancer

The recently discovered lysine lactylation represents a critical post-translational modification with widespread implications in epigenetics and cancer biology. Initially identified on histones, lysine lactylation has been also described on non-histone proteins, playing a pivotal role in transcriptional activation, protein function, and cellular processes. Two major sources of the lactyl moiety have been currently distinguished: L-lactyl-CoA (precursor of the L-lactyl moiety) and S-D-lactylglutathione (precursor of the D-lactyl moiety), which enable enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms of lysine lactylation, respectively. Although the specific writers, erasers, and readers of this modification are still unclear, acetyltransferases and deacetylases have been proposed as crucial mediators of lysine lactylation. Remarkably, lactylation exerts significant influence on critical cancer-related pathways, thereby shaping cellular behavior during malignant transformation and the metastatic cascade. Hence, as recent insights into lysine lactylation underscore its growing potential in tumor biology, targeting this modification is emerging as a significant opportunity for cancer treatment.

Potential of lactylation as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment (Review)

Post‑translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins influence their functionality by altering the structure of precursor proteins. These modifications are closely linked to tumor progression through the regulation of processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis and invasion. Tumors produce large amounts of lactic acid through aerobic glycolysis. Lactic acid not only serves an important role in cell metabolism, but also serves an important role in cell communication. Lactylation, a PTM involving lactate and lysine residues as substrates, serves as an epigenetic regulator that modulates intracellular signaling, gene expression and protein function, thereby serving a crucial role in tumorigenesis and progression. The identification of lactylation provides a key breakthrough in elucidating the interaction between tumor metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modification. The present review primarily summarizes the occurrence of lactylation, its effect on tumor progression, drug resistance, the tumor microenvironment and gut microbiota, and its potential as a therapeutic target for cancer. The aim of the present review was to provide novel strategies for potential cancer therapies.

The lactylation modification of proteins plays a critical role in tumor progression

Lactylation modifications have been shown to be a novel type of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), providing a new perspective for understanding the interaction between cellular metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic regulation. Studies have shown that lactylation plays an important role in the occurrence, development, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis of tumors. It can not only regulate the phenotypic expression and functional polarization of immune cells, but also participate in the formation of tumor drug resistance through a variety of molecular mechanisms. In this review, we review the latest research progress of lactylation modification in tumors, focusing on its mechanism of action in angiogenesis, immune cell regulation in tumor microenvironment (TME), and tumor drug resistance, aiming to provide a theoretical basis and research ideas for the discovery of new therapeutic targets and methods. Through the in-depth analysis of lactylation modification, it is expected to open up a new research direction for tumor treatment and provide potential strategies for overcoming tumor drug resistance and improving clinical efficacy.

Pain, lactate, and anesthetics: intertwined regulators of tumor metabolism and immunity

Patients with advanced cancer frequently endure severe pain, which substantially diminishes their quality of life and can adversely impact survival. Analgesia, a critical modality for alleviating such pain, is now under scrutiny for its potential role in cancer progression, a relationship whose underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Emerging evidence suggests that lactate, once considered a metabolic byproduct, actively participates in the malignant progression of cancer by modulating both metabolic and immunological pathways within the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, lactate is implicated in the modulation of cancer-related pain, exerting effects through direct and indirect mechanisms. This review synthesizes current understanding of lactate's production, transport, and functional roles in tumor cells, encompassing the regulation of tumor metabolism, immunity, and progression. Additionally, we dissect the complex, bidirectional relationship between lactate and pain, and assess the impact of anesthetics on pain relief, lactate homeostasis, and tumorigenesis.

Unveiling lactylation modification: A new hope for cancer treatment

This review article delves into the multifaceted role of lactylation modification in antitumor therapy, revealing the complex interplay between lactylation modification and the tumor microenvironment (TME), metabolic reprogramming, gene expression, and immunotherapy. As an emerging epigenetic modification, lactylation has a significant impact on the metabolic pathways of tumor cells, immune evasion, gene expression regulation, and sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. Studies have shown that lactylation modification significantly alters the development and therapeutic response of tumors by affecting metabolites in the TME, immune cell functions, and signaling pathways. In the field of immunotherapy, the regulatory role of lactylation modification provides a new perspective and potential targets for tumor treatment, including modulating the sensitivity of tumors to immunotherapy by affecting the expression of immune checkpoint molecules and the infiltration of immune cells. Moreover, research progress on lactylation modification in various types of tumors indicates that it may serve as a biomarker to predict patients' responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Overall, research on lactylation modification provides a theoretical foundation for the development of new tumor treatment strategies and holds promise for improving patient prognosis and quality of life. Future research will further explore the application potential of lactylation modification in tumor therapy and how to improve treatment efficacy by targeting lactylation modification.

Lactate Dehydrogenase-A-Forming LDH5 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression

Background

Breast cancer (BC) has become the main malignant tumor threatening the health of women worldwide. Previous studies have reported that Lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDHA) has critical roles in cancer development and progression. We aimed to explore the roles of LDHA and LDH5 isoenzyme activity in BC, which provides a new insight into LDHA for the treatment of BC.

Methods

The expression of LDHA in BC and its relationship with clinicopathological features were obtained from various databases including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), Breast Cancer-Gene Expression Miner (bc-GenExMiner), TNMplot, UALCAN. The Kaplan‒Meier Plotter was used to evaluate the prognostic value of LDHA. Western blot was performed to detect LDHA expression. Agarose gel electrophoresis was performed to detect the activities of LDH isoenzymes. The in vitro proliferation, migration and invasion potentials of BC cells were evaluated using MTT assays, colony formation, wound-healing assay, matrix metalloproteinase assays and transwell assays, respectively. The activities of LDH isoenzymes in serum and tissues were measured in patients with BC and healthy controls.

Results

Compared to normal tissues, LDHA expression was significantly higher in BC tissues. Patients' nodal status, histological types, TP53 mutation status and PAM50 subtypes were significant factors influencing the LDHA expression. By overexpressing or silencing LDHA gene in BT549 cells, it was confirmed that LDHA promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion. LDH5 isoenzyme activity in patients with BC was higher than healthy controls. The increased activity of LDH5 isoenzymes was induced by overexpression of LDHA in BC. High expression of LDHA was found to be associated with poor prognosis in BC.

Conclusion

LDHA plays a critical role in the progression of BC through the regulation of the activity of LDH5 isoenzyme, indicating that LDHA may serve as a valuable target for BC treatment.

Insight into the roles of lactylation in macrophages: functions and clinical implications

Lactylation, a post-translational modification, has been linked to gene transcription regulation through epigenetic modulation in various pathophysiological processes. The lactylation regulatory proteins, known as writers, erasers, and readers, govern their dynamics by adding, removing, and recognizing lactyl groups on proteins. Macrophages, as cells of the immune system, maintain homeostasis, responding dynamically to diverse internal and external stimuli. Emerging researches unveil that lactylation, through inducing macrophage activation and polarization, affects their functionality in pathological conditions such as inflammation, tumor microenvironment, and fibrosis. Evidence progressively indicates that lactate-driven alterations in lactylation levels within macrophages can influence the pathogenesis of numerous diseases. This review aims to systematically summarize the research progress of lactylation in macrophages, explore its functions and mechanisms by which lactylation contributes to the pathology of different disease phenotypes, and propose future research directions along with potential diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Lactate-induced protein lactylation in cancer: functions, biomarkers and immunotherapy strategies

Lactate, long viewed as a byproduct of glycolysis and metabolic waste. Initially identified within the context of yogurt fermentation, lactate's role extends beyond culinary applications to its significance in biochemical processes. Contemporary research reveals that lactate functions not merely as the terminal product of glycolysis but also as a nexus for initiating physiological and pathological responses within the body. Lysine lactylation (Kla), a novel post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins, has emerged as a pivotal mechanism by which lactate exerts its regulatory influence. This epigenetic modification has the potential to alter gene expression patterns, thereby impacting physiological and pathological processes. Increasing evidence indicates a correlation between lactylation and adverse prognosis in various malignancies. Consequently, this review article aims to encapsulate the proteins that interact with lactate, elucidate the role of lactylation in tumorigenesis and progression, and explore the potential therapeutic targets afforded by the modulation of lactylation. The objective of this review is to clarify the oncogenic significance of lactylation and to provide a strategic framework for future research directions in this burgeoning field.

Lactylation in health and disease: physiological or pathological?

Lactate is an indispensable substance in various cellular physiological functions and plays regulatory roles in different aspects of energy metabolism and signal transduction. Lactylation (Kla), a key pathway through which lactate exerts its functions, has been identified as a novel posttranslational modification (PTM). Research indicates that Kla is an essential balancing mechanism in a variety of organisms and is involved in many key cellular biological processes through different pathways. Kla is closely related to disease development and represents a potential and important new drug target. In line with existing reports, we searched for newly discovered Kla sites on histone and nonhistone proteins; reviewed the regulatory mechanisms of Kla (particularly focusing on the enzymes directly involved in the reversible regulation of Kla, including "writers" (modifying enzymes), "readers" (modification-binding enzymes), and "erasers" (demodifying enzymes); and summarized the crosstalk between different PTMs to help researchers better understand the widespread distribution of Kla and its diverse functions. Furthermore, considering the "double-edged sword" role of Kla in both physiological and pathological contexts, this review highlights the "beneficial" biological functions of Kla in physiological states (energy metabolism, inflammatory responses, cell fate determination, development, etc.) and its "detrimental" pathogenic or inducive effects on pathological processes, particularly malignant tumors and complex nontumor diseases. We also clarify the molecular mechanisms of Kla in health and disease, and discuss its feasibility as a therapeutic target. Finally, we describe the detection technologies for Kla and their potential applications in diagnosis and clinical settings, aiming to provide new insights for the treatment of various diseases and to accelerate translation from laboratory research to clinical practice.

Cannabinol (CBN) Influences the Ion Channels and Synaptic-Related Genes in NSC-34 Cell Line: A Transcriptomic Study

Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and schizophrenia are associated with altered neuronal excitability, resulting from dysfunctions in the molecular architecture and physiological regulation of ion channels and synaptic transmission. Ion channels and synapses are regarded as suitable therapeutic targets in modern pharmacology. Cannabinoids have received great attention as an original therapeutic approach for their effects on human health due to their ability to modulate the neurotransmitter release through interaction with the endocannabinoid system. In our study, we explored the effect of cannabinol (CBN) through next-generation sequencing analysis of NSC-34 cell physiology. Our findings revealed that CBN strongly influences the ontologies related to ion channels and synapse activity at all doses tested. Specifically, the genes coding for calcium and potassium voltage-gated channel subunits, and the glutamatergic and GABAergic receptors (Cacna1b, Cacna1h, Cacng8, Kcnc3, Kcnd1, Kcnd2, Kcnj4, Grik5, Grik1, Slc17a7, Gabra5), were up-regulated. Conversely, the genes involved into serotoninergic and cholinergic pathways (Htr3a, Htr3b, Htr1b, Chrna3, Chrnb2, Chrnb4), were down-regulated. These findings highlight the influence of CBN in the expression of genes involved into ion influx and synaptic transmission.

Downregulation of Brf1 Induces Liver Failure and Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Promoting Apoptosis

The occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are closely related to abnormal apoptosis. Brf1 is highly expressed in HCC and has clinical prognostic value. Here, attenuation of Brf1-induced apoptosis was found, and the related mechanism was explored. In the study, general bioinformatics data for Brf1 were obtained from The Human Protein Atlas (HPA). Analyses of the clinical prognostic value of Brf1 in HCC were performed with the Xiantao Academic web server using R software. The basic data were obtained from the GTEx database and TCGA database. Brf1 conditional knockout mice were obtained by repeated mating of C57BL/6 Brf1LoxP/LoxP and C57BL/6 NS5A-alb-Cre-ERT2 mice and verified by genotyping. Liver function measurements, hematoxylin and eosin staining (HE), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed to explore the cause of mouse death after Brf1 knockout. The Brf1 knockdown HCC cell model was generated using lentiviral vector-based shRNA transduction. Cell proliferation assays, plate colony formation assays, anchorage-independent colony formation assays and mouse subcutaneous tumor models were used to evaluate the progression of HCC. Western blot (WB) analysis, flow cytometry, and TUNEL assays were used to detect apoptosis. DNA sequencing, transcriptomics, and proteomics analyses were carried out to explore the antiapoptotic mechanism of Brf1. We found that Brf1 was highly expressed in HCC and had clinical prognostic value. Brf1 knockout led to liver failure and hepatocyte apoptosis in mice. Downregulation of Brf1 slowed HCC cell proliferation, colony growth, and mouse subcutaneous tumor growth and increased the sensitivity of HCC cells to apoptosis induced by chemotherapy drugs. The expression of Brf1 was positively related to that of the apoptosis gene Bcl-2. The sequencing, transcriptomics and proteomics analyses consistently showed that energy metabolism played an important role in Brf1 function, that protein-protein interaction was the primary mode, and that organelles such as mitochondria were the main sites. In Conclusions, downregulation of Brf1 inhibits HCC development by inducing apoptosis. Energy metabolism plays an important role in Brf1 function. These results provide a scientific basis for combating HCC.

LDHA as a predictive biomarker and its association with the infiltration of immune cells in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) plays a crucial role in the final step of anaerobic glycolysis, converting L-lactate and NAD+ to pyruvate and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Its high expression has been linked to tumorigenesis and patient survival in various human cancers. However, the full implications of LDHA's role and its correlation with clinicopathological features in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) remain to be fully understood. This study was thus conducted to elucidate the specific functions of LDHA in PAAD, with the aim of providing more robust evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

In an extensive systems analysis, we searched through numerous databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Oncomine. Our objective was to clarify the clinical implications and functional role of LDHA in PAAD. Bioinformatics was used to identify the biological function of LDHA expression and its correlation with tumor immune status.

RESULTS

Our analysis revealed that the LDHA gene is overexpressed in PAAD and that this upregulation was associated with a worse patient prognosis. Through gene set enrichment analysis, we found that LDHA's influence on PAAD is linked to signaling pathways involving Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (K-Ras), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). Mutation of K-Ras could upregulate its own expression and was positively correlated with LDHA expression. Moreover, our data demonstrated that LDHA expression was linked to immune infiltration and poor prognosis in PAAD, indicating its role in disease pathogenesis. Overexpression of LDHA may suppress tumor immunity, suggesting it as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of PAAD, thus providing new insights into managing this aggressive cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our results showed that LDHA as a prognostic biomarker could serve as a novel target for future PAAD immunotherapy.