细胞代谢产物是具有多源性健康和疾病影响的古老分子。除了它们的认同作用外，它们还具有信号功能，作为特定受体的配体和表观遗传或翻译后修饰的前体。乳酸长期以来一直被认为是糖酵解代谢产生的代谢废物和疲劳产物。然而，最近的证据表明乳酸是一种具有多样化信号属性的独特分子，可协调许多生物过程，包括肿瘤免疫和神经元存活。乳酸通过细胞间或细胞内细胞器之间的双向转运所介导的丰富代谢和非代谢功能导致了一种称为“乳酸素”的表型。重要的是，乳酸信号传导的机制已被发现，通过作为分子传感器和NAD+代谢和AMP-活化蛋白激酶信号传导的调节因子，以及通过新发现的乳酸驱动乳酸化作用。此外，我们还对Sertoli细胞中的乳酸自分泌调节摄食作用进行了简要讨论，以促进有利于有氧糖酵解。通过强调乳酸信号传导的最新发现机制的一系列机制，本综述将为未来研究打开令人心动的研究途径，解开乳酸信号传导调控拓扑图谱的神秘之帷。© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Cellular metabolites are ancient molecules with pleiotropic implications in health and disease. Beyond their cognate roles, they have signaling functions as the ligands for specific receptors and the precursors for epigenetic or posttranslational modifications. Lactate has long been recognized as a metabolic waste and fatigue product mainly produced from glycolytic metabolism. Recent evidence however suggests lactate is an unique molecule with diverse signaling attributes in orchestration of numerous biological processes, including tumor immunity and neuronal survival. The copious metabolic and non-metabolic functions of lactate mediated by its bidirectional shuttle between cells or intracellular organelles lead to a phenotype called "lactormone." Importantly, the mechanisms of lactate signaling, via acting as a molecular sensor and a regulator of NAD+ metabolism and AMP-activated protein kinase signaling, and via the newly identified lactate-driven lactylation, have been discovered. Further, we include a brief discussion about the autocrine regulation of efferocytosis by lactate in Sertoli cells which favoraerobic glycolysis. By emphasizing a repertoire of the most recent discovered mechanisms of lactate signaling, this review will open tantalizing avenues for future investigations cracking the regulatory topology of lactate signaling covered in the veil of mystery.© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.