Particularly, inflammatory mediators and proteins, such as IFNα2, IL-3, SCF, IL-2Rα, CTACK (CCL27), TRAIL (CD253), VCAM-1 (CD106), IL-12p40, MCP-3 (CCL7), M-CSF, RANTES (CCR5), IP-10 (CXCL10), ICAM-1 (CD54), HGF, SCGF-β, MIG (CXCR3), MIP-1β (CCL4), IL-18, G-CSF, LIF, SDF-1α (CXCL12), and VEGF, were all significantly elevated in patients with CHC as compared to healthy individuals (Figure 4B). Here, CXCL12 is linked to cryohydrocytosis.