Bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells alleviate hepatic lipid metabolism disorders after scald injury: integrating liver transcriptome and metabolome

Previous studies have confirmed that scald injuries can lead to disturbances in hepatic lipid metabolism, and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for alleviating such disorders. However, research focusing on the regulation and restoration of liver lipid metabolic processes remains limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of BMSCs on hepatic lipid metabolism disorders induced by scald injury in rats through integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. The results demonstrated that portal vein infusion of BMSCs markedly improved body weight recovery, reduced hepatic lipid accumulation, normalized serum lipid profiles, and attenuated liver injury following scalding. Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic data further suggested that the therapeutic mechanism may involve inhibition of NF-κB/Gadd45a signaling in hepatocytes, restoration of sphingolipid metabolism, enhancement of hepatic lipid conversion, and suppression of adipocyte lipolysis. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis for the potential clinical application of BMSCs in treating hepatic lipid metabolism disorders secondary to severe burn injury.