In this comprehensive survey, we delve into the multifaceted role of palmitoylation across various cell death modalities in the oncological context, from its intricate correlations with tumorigenesis, steered by the Asp-His-His-Cys tetrapeptide motif (DHHC) family, to the counter-process of depalmitoylation mediated by enzymes like Palmitoyl protein thioesterase-1 (PPT1). Innovations in detection methodologies have paralleled our growing understanding, transitioning from rudimentary techniques to sophisticated modern methods. Central to our discourse are agents like Ezurpimtrostat (GNS561) and dimeric chloroquine (DC661), promising heralds in palmitoylation-targeted cancer therapy. Collectively, this review accentuates palmitoylation's transformative potential in oncology, foreshadowing groundbreaking therapeutic strategies and deepening our molecular comprehension of cancer dynamics.
Keywords: apoptosis; autophagy; ferroptosis; protein palmitoylation; pyroptosis.