MRE11 lactylation: new insight into DNA damage repair and tumorigenesis

The increased accumulation of lactate in tumor microenvironment is a characteristic feature of tumorigenesis, which affects various biological processes such as metabolism and immune response. The specific role of lactate remains elusive in DNA damage response (DDR) and maintenance of genome stability. A recent study unveiled a novel modification—lactylation on MRE11, a key player of DDR, —stemming from cellular lactate metabolites within homologous recombination (HR) repair. This study links cancer metabolism to DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, proposing a potential therapeutic strategy in future cancer treatment by targeting this process.