LUM and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: Lumican, a 40-kDa keratin sulfate proteoglycan that regulates collagen fibril assembly and activates transforming growth factor-beta and smooth muscle actin, was overexpressed in a progressive manner in NASH-mild versus simple steatosis (124%, p < 0.001), NASH-progressive versus NASH-mild (156%, p < 0.001), and NASH-progressive versus obese normal (178%, p < 0.001).