Copper is an important trace element for maintaining key biological functions such as cellular respiration, nerve conduction, and antioxidant defense. Maintaining copper homeostasis is critical for human health, and its imbalance has been linked to various diseases, especially cancer. Cuproptosis, a novel mechanism of copper-induced cell death, provides new therapeutic opportunities for metal ion regulation to interact with cell fate. This review provides insights into the complex mechanisms of copper metabolism, the molecular basis of cuproptosis, and its association with cancer development. We assess the role of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) associated with tumorigenesis, their importance as prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets, and the impact of copper homeostasis on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune response. Ultimately, this review highlights the complex interplay between copper, cuproptosis, and cancer immunotherapy.

Background: Outcomes of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been improved dramatically in the past two decades, but survival levels of CML patients varied in regions. Comprehensive epidemiological research is necessary to evaluate the global burden of CML.Methods: All data used in our study came from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2017. Incidence cases, death cases, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and its corresponding age-standardized rate between 1990 to 2017 were used to describe the distribution of CML burden, according to age, sex, social-demographic index (SDI), and countries. Data about attributable risk factors contributing to CML deaths and DALYs were also extracted and analyzed.Results: Globally, the disease burden of CML gradually decreased from 1990 to 2017. Higher SDI countries achieved a remarkable effect on diminishing the CML burden. Conversely, due to population growth, the incidence cases, death cases, and DALYs of CML in lower SDI quintiles showed an upward trend. India had the most incidence cases and death cases of CML in the world. Additionally, smoking was the most significant attributable risk factor contributing to CML deaths and DALYs, followed by high body mass index.Conclusion: The disease burden of CML decreased globally, especially in higher SDI countries in the past 28 years. The increasing incidence cases and death cases were mainly observed in lower SDI countries. Additionally, strategies to control modifiable risk factors such as smoking and high body mass index might be useful in diminishing mortality and DALYs.

Severe periodontitis is a significant public health concern. This study aimed to systematically analyze its burden by utilizing the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2021 data and multiple analytical approaches, with the goal of providing evidence to reduce the disease burden and improve health inequalities. The burden of severe periodontitis at different levels was analyzed using prevalence as the metric, combined with the Sociodemographic Index (SDI). Analyses incorporated including frontier analysis to estimate achievable outcomes and potential improvement spaces for disease burden, slope and concentration indexes to evaluate health inequalities, decomposition analysis to identify key drivers of changes in disease burden, and Joinpoint regression analysis and estimated annual percentage change to examine temporal trends over time. In 2021, the global age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) of severe periodontitis was 12,498.3 (95% UI: 10,526.8 to 14,493.4) per 100,000 population, with more than one billion people worldwide affected. Regardless of development level, most countries have significant potential to reduce severe periodontitis burden. High SDI countries bear a disproportionately large burden, with inequalities worsening over time. From 1990 to 2021, global cases of severe periodontitis increased by 91.54%, driven mainly by population growth (66.15%) and aging (30.84%). Among SDI regions, population was the primary contributor to the increase, with the largest impact (134.48%) in low SDI region. Aging contributed between 13.69% (low SDI region) and 37.21% (middle SDI region). Epidemiological change significantly affected only low SDI region (-48.17%). In 16 of 21 GBD regions, population growth was the primary driver of rising cases. Case numbers rose across all age groups, with a more pronounced increase among older adults, particularly in high SDI region. During the period, ASPRs in low and low-middle SDI regions consistently above the global average, which was higher than those in high and high-middle SDI regions but close to middle SDI region, with a clear decline observed in low SDI regions. Severe periodontitis remains a major global health challenge, with substantial and growing burden, widening inequalities, and untapped opportunities for improvement. There is an urgent need for targeted policies and preventive strategies to address severe periodontitis effectively. Not applicable.

Investigating cancer metabolism is of paramount importance for understanding tumor biology and developing novel therapeutic strategies. Lactylation, a posttranslational modification facilitated by the glycolytic product lactate, plays a crucial role in regulating oncogenic signalling pathways. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of lactate metabolism, including its biosynthesis, compartmentalized transport, enzymatic network and structural features of lactate dehydrogenases, transporters, lactyltransferases and deacetylases. These enzymes contribute to malignant tumor progression through metabolic reprogramming and modulation of the immune microenvironment. Importantly, we emphasize that integrating cancer subtype-specific lactylation profiles with core signatures reveals promising therapeutic opportunities for targeting lactate shuttles, histone, and nonhistone lactylation mechanisms, and transcriptional networks regulated by lactylation. In the present review, we highlight the significant potential of targeting glycolysis and lactylation modifications in tumors to improve the efficacy of cancer treatments.