TALDO1 encodes transaldolase 1, a 38-kDa enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step of the non-oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway, converting sedoheptulose-7-phosphate and D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate into erythrose-4-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate. Beyond its canonical metabolic role, TALDO1 exhibits moonlighting functions through dynamic subcellular localization between nucleus and cytoplasm, affecting additional metabolic pathways and gene regulation. TALDO1 is implicated in multiple malignancies. In breast cancer, TALDO1 serves as an extracellular vesicle biomarker of distant metastasis and promotes invasion and metastasis; the allosteric inhibitor AO-022 inhibited breast cancer migration in vitro and tumor progression in vivo 1. In nasopharyngeal carcinoma, HDAC6-mediated deacetylation of TALDO1 at lysine 7 reduces TALDO1 protein stability and nuclear translocation, disrupting its interaction with BRCA1 and promoting glycolysis-driven tumor progression through enhanced c-Myc activation 2. In hepatocellular carcinoma, TALDO1 expression is epigenetically regulated by p300/CBP histone acetyltransferase activity; the p300 inhibitor B029-2 reduced TALDO1 expression and displayed antitumor effects 3. Additionally, TALDO1 emerged as a prognostic biomarker significantly overexpressed in HCC patient blood and tumor tissues 4. TALDO1 also influences redox homeostasis and angiogenesis. Nrf2 regulates pentose phosphate pathway genes including TALDO1 to maintain NADPH for antioxidant defense in retinal pigmented epithelial cells 5. In neovascular age-related macular degeneration, TALDO1 reduction during anti-VEGF therapy correlated with greater lesion regression 6.