A Chiral Hydrogel Accelerates Wound Healing via the Lactylation of Ring Finger Protein 123

Chronic wounds, characterized by delayed healing and persistent inflammation, represent a major clinical burden with limited effective therapies. Inspired by the stereoselective interactions in biological systems, we developed an L-chiral hydrogel composed of self-assembled helical nanofibers from l-tryptophan derivatives, which preferentially enriches lactate to promote wound repair. Compared to D-chiral and racemic hydrogels, the L-chiral hydrogel significantly accelerated wound closure in rat models, achieving nearly 90% healing by day 14 and reducing healing time to 16-17 days. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed enhanced wound response pathways and elevated lactate levels in the L-chiral group. Mechanistically, enriched lactate induced K57 lactylation of Ring Finger Protein 123 (RNF123), mediated by AARS1, altering RNF123 conformation and weakening its binding to UBAC1. This modification enhanced ubiquitination and processing of NF-κB p105 into p50, inhibiting the NF-κB pathway and promoting angiogenesis via enhanced endothelial cell migration, tube formation, and sprouting. Rescue experiments with lactate inhibitor Oxamate and exogenous lactate confirmed the lactate-dependent mechanism. This study not only demonstrates a drug-free chiral biomaterial for efficient wound healing but also unveils the molecular role of lactate-mediated lactylation in mechanoregulating inflammation and vascularization, offering new insights for regenerative medicine.