S-palmitoylation: a novel insight in the development and immunotherapy of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

S-palmitoylation (hereinafter referred to as palmitoylation) is a reversible lipid modification that has recently received considerable attention in cancer research. Despite its known association with tumour progression and treatment response, it remains unclear how palmitoylation could be targeted for enhancing therapeutic outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This review summarises palmitoylated proteins common in various cancers and highlights emerging targets specific to OSCC, emphasising their roles in protein stability, signalling pathways, and cellular behaviour. Additionally, we explore new trends in targeting palmitoylated proteins to manage cancer progression and bolster the immune response in OSCC. Furthermore, this review highlights existing knowledge gaps and calls for detailed investigations into OSCC-specific palmitoylation mechanisms, including the expression levels of palmitoylated proteins and palmitoylation enzymes and their effect on OSCC signalling pathways.