Compared with lean control liver at reperfusion, we found significantly increased mRNA of Atg1, Atg3, Atg5, Atg7 and Atg12 (Supplementary Figure 5a), which are reported to be transcriptionally regulated by farnesoid X receptor (FXR).22 Downregulation of FXR is found in fatty liver and may contribute to Atg mRNA elevation, which may be a compensative response to autophagy proteins depletion.23 After screening of Atg expression, we only found significant downregulation of Atg3 and Atg7 in fatty liver. This evidence concerns the gene ULK1 and fatty liver disease.