Transcriptomic Profiling Identifies Hub Transcription Factors Associated with the Protective Effects of Licochalcone A Against HFD-Induced MASLD

Background/Objectives: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly NAFLD) lacks approved specific pharmacological treatments and exhibits complex pathogenesis. Licochalcone A (LA), a flavonoid extracted from Glycyrrhiza glabra, possesses anti-inflammatory and lipid-modulating activities, yet its protective effects and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms against MASLD remain poorly defined.

Methods

We established an HFD-induced MASLD mouse model to assess the in-vivo protective effect of LA. Hepatic RNA-sequencing was performed to profile transcription factor (TF) expression and identify differentially expressed transcription factors (DE-TFs). Functional enrichment and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were conducted to characterize DE-TFs and screen hub TFs. RT-qPCR was used to validate the expression patterns of identified hub TFs.