ACTA1 and fibrosis: Liver granuloma and fibrosis were evaluated by monitoring the liver manifestation, area of collagen fiber (stained blue in MT staining) (Figure 1(a)), level of serum hyaluronic acid (Figure 1(b)), and strength of α-SMA-positive staining as a marker of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation (Figure 1(c)). Sj liver granuloma began at week 5, and then fibrosis progressed the most seriously at week 8, whereas chronic liver fibrosis appeared at week 12.