Song TX, Rong Y, Ji HM, Wang XS. Post-translational modifications in hepatocellular carcinoma: Linking senescence, metabolic reprogramming, and immune evasion for therapeutic innovation. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(6): 118497 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i6.118497]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xing-Sheng Wang, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Baiyin First People’s Hospital, No. 83 Chang’an Road, Baiyin District, Baiyin 730900, Gansu Province, China. 13227828908@163.com
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Oncology
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review-article
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Song TX, Rong Y, Ji HM, Wang XS. Post-translational modifications in hepatocellular carcinoma: Linking senescence, metabolic reprogramming, and immune evasion for therapeutic innovation. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(6): 118497 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i6.118497]
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jun 15, 2026; 18(6): 118497 Published online Jun 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v18.i6.118497
Post-translational modifications in hepatocellular carcinoma: Linking senescence, metabolic reprogramming, and immune evasion for therapeutic innovation
Tai-Xian Song, Yao Rong, Hao-Min Ji, Xing-Sheng Wang
Tai-Xian Song, Xing-Sheng Wang, Department of Gastroenterology, Baiyin First People’s Hospital, Baiyin 730900, Gansu Province, China
Yao Rong, Department of General Surgery, The General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong Province, China
Hao-Min Ji, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Baiyin First People’s Hospital, Baiyin 730900, Gansu Province, China
Co-first authors: Tai-Xian Song and Yao Rong.
Author contributions: Song TX and Rong Y contributed equally to this work as co-first authors; Song TX and Wang XS conceived the study; Rong Y and Ji HM collected the relevant data; Rong Y created the figures and tables; Song TX wrote the draft; Wang XS reviewed and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: Our use of AI tools was strictly limited to language-level improvements, similar to using professional language editing services, to help non-native English authors express their research more clearly. All scholarly content, research contributions, data interpretation, and conclusions remain the sole responsibility of the authors.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Xing-Sheng Wang, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Baiyin First People’s Hospital, No. 83 Chang’an Road, Baiyin District, Baiyin 730900, Gansu Province, China. 13227828908@163.com
Received: January 4, 2026 Revised: February 2, 2026 Accepted: February 27, 2026 Published online: June 15, 2026 Processing time: 156 Days and 23.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) constitute a dynamic regulatory network that critically shapes cellular senescence and the immunosuppressive microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma. Key metabolism-linked PTMs such as O-GlcNAcylation and histone lactylation couple glycolytic reprogramming with epigenetic remodeling, driving therapy resistance and immune evasion. Emerging single-cell and spatial multi-omics reveal spatially organized senescence-immune-metabolic niches, providing a basis for multidimensional stratification. This review proposes a sequential “induce-remodel-clear” therapeutic framework, integrating precise senescence induction, PTM-targeted modulation, and enhanced immune clearance to overcome resistance and advance precision hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.
