Epigenetics. 2025 Dec;20(1):2576069. doi: 10.1080/15592294.2025.2576069. Epub 2025 Oct 29.
ABSTRACT
Lactate, long regarded as a metabolic byproduct of anaerobic glycolysis, has emerged as a key regulator of cardiovascular health. Its roles extend beyond energy metabolism and include cell signaling through hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 1 (HCAR1/GPR81) and epigenetic regulation via lactylation. These interconnected mechanisms influence diverse processes in the cardiovascular system such as energy production, angiogenesis, inflammation, and fibrosis. In this review we provide a chronological exploration of lactate's functions, focusing on its role in cardiovascular physiology and with a particular emphasis on its role in epigenetics, highlighting the connecting points among these mechanisms and proposing areas for future research.
PMID:41160759 | DOI:10.1080/15592294.2025.2576069