Fourth, the CPEB1–PTEN–AMPK–mTOR pathway between circRNA_002581 knockdown mediated NASH phenotype change and autophagy seems too long and it would be more convincing if we could antagonize any step in this pathway and observe the change of both NASH phenotype and autophagy degree. The gene discussed is PTEN; the disease is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.