Since miR-223 positively correlated with several chemokines (C-X-C motif chemokine 10, CXCL10) and cytokines (interleukin-6, IL-6) and with cancer-related genes (glypican 3, GPC3) in NASH patients, the authors hypothesized a protective role for miR-223 against malignant transformation and disease progression, contributing to the explanation as to why HFD feeding alone is not sufficient for NAFLD progression in mouse models [43]. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and cancer.