Histone post-translational modifications (HPTMs) have emerged as crucial epigenetic regulators in urological malignancies, including prostate, bladder, and renal cell carcinomas. This review systematically examines four key modifications—lactylation, acetylation, methylation, and phosphorylation—and their roles in carcinogenesis. These dynamic modifications, mediated by “writers”, “erasers”, and “readers”, influence chromatin structure and gene expression, thereby driving oncogenic processes such as metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion, and treatment resistance. The newly discovered lactylation modification links cellular metabolism to epigenetic regulation through lactate-derived histone marks, particularly in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, where it activates oncogenic pathways. Acetylation modifications, regulated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), modulate chromatin accessibility and are implicated in silencing cancer suppressors. Methylation patterns, controlled by histone lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) and histone lysine demethylases (KDMs), demonstrate dual roles in gene regulation, with specific marks either promoting or suppressing carcinogenesis. Finally, phosphorylation dynamics affect critical cellular processes such as cell cycle progression and DNA repair. This review underscores the therapeutic potential of targeting these modifications, as evidenced by promising results with HDAC and Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) inhibitors. However, challenges persist in clinical translation, including off-target effects and the complexity of the cancer microenvironment. Future research should utilize multi-omics approaches to elucidate modification crosstalk and develop precision therapies. Overall, this comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the epigenetic mechanisms underlying urological cancers and highlights remaining knowledge gaps and therapeutic opportunities in this rapidly evolving field.
Liu et al. (2025) studied this question.