Genes coding for several collagen type (Col1a1, Col1a2, Col3a1, Col4a2, Col5a1, Col6a1, Col6a3, Col14a1), for TIMP metalloproteinase inhibitor 1 and 3 (Timp1, Timp3), for Mmp13 and for vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (Vcam1) were also all upregulated in WD SW-fed mice (Fig. 5 and Supplementary Fig. S2), attesting to hepatic stellate cells activation, a central event in hepatic fibrosis. Here, TIMP1 is linked to Hepatic fibrosis.