When intrahepatic lymphocyte subpopulations were compared between patients with NAFLD and control subjects, the percentage of CD4+ cells among the total cell population was higher in patients with NAFLD [2.81 (1.83–4.11) vs. 1.12 (0.70–1.25), respectively; p = 0.030] (Fig 4B). This evidence concerns the gene CD4 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.