Researches show that chronic liver inflammation may lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis through IL-1signaling [27].And IFI16 can stimulate cleavage of pro-IL1b and pro-IL18 to the bioactive cytokines [6].So IFI16 may play a role in the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis, next step we can further investigate it. Here, IL18 is linked to fibrosis.