STAT4 and Hepatic fibrosis: Furthermore elevated pSTAT4 is associated with a beneficial response to HCV treatment and STAT4 polymorphisms have been associated with accelerated liver fibrosis following transplantation.49–51 Thus STAT4 is a key molecule controlling NK cells in liver inflammation and as NK cells can crosstalk with cells of the adaptive immune system, inducing an NK cell tolerant phenotype may be beneficial in suppressing autoimmunity.