{
  "abstract": "Burn injury represents one of the most prevalent accidental traumas worldwide, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality. Second-degree burns are frequently complicated by bacterial infection, excessive inflammation, and oxidative stress, which collectively impede wound healing. Licochalcone A (LCA), a bioactive flavonoid isolated from licorice, exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, yet its therapeutic role in burn wounds remains unexplored. Here, we evaluated the effects of a topical LCA-containing hydrogel on wound healing in a mouse dorsal second-degree scald model (100 °C, 5 s) and explored the associated molecular changes. In vivo, LCA-hydrogel treatment was associated with increased collagen deposition, reduced expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), reduced neutrophil and macrophage infiltration, and upregulated Ki67 and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C). In hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-stimulated fibroblasts, LCA attenuated reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, improved cell viability and migration, preserved mitochondrial integrity, and restored antioxidant enzyme activities. Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses identified 227 co-differentially expressed genes/proteins enriched in the reactive oxygen species pathway. Western blotting showed that the effects of LCA were associated with increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression and decreased Kelch-like ECH-associated protein (Keap1) expression. These exploratory findings suggest that the LCA-containing hydrogel is associated with accelerated second-degree burn healing, and that the antioxidant effects of LCA are associated with modulation of Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, supporting further evaluation of its potential as a burn therapeutic candidate.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, The State Key Laboratory Incubation Base for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resource in the Tarim Basin of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Menglong Xu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hangzhen Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shuwei Li",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4160-9133"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yongchao Li",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2016-1824"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Qinqin Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Haocheng Guan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoxia Luo"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3cby38qpgsrh0.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/ijms27219450",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "3cby38qpgsrh0",
  "issns": [
    "1422-0067"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9450",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2742|Wound Healing and Treatments"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223417419",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-23",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3cby38qpgsrh0.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:57Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/ijms27219450",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9450"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2742|Wound Healing and Treatments",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Licochalcone A Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Inflammation to Promote Second-Degree Burn Healing Through Nrf2/HO-1 Activation in Mice",
  "title_text": "Licochalcone A Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Inflammation to Promote Second-Degree Burn Healing Through Nrf2/HO-1 Activation in Mice",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:57Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3cby38qpgsrh0",
  "venue": "International Journal of Molecular Sciences",
  "versions": []
}