SPHK1 and Hepatic fibrosis: SK1 mRNA expression levels in liver were significantly higher in patients with advanced liver fibrosis (P = 0.005, after adjustment for age and sex); the median mRNA expression level of SK1 in livers with fibrosis stages 0–2 and 3–4 were 1.79 × 1/105 (1.21 × 1/105–3.41 × 1/105) and 3.67 × 1/105 (2.02 × 1/105–6.63 × 1/105), respectively.