CD36 and morbid obesity: In NAFLD patients with morbid obesity, Greco et al. (2008) revealed that liver FAT/CD36 mRNA levels are positively correlated with liver lipid content, and another study (Miquilena-Colina et al. 2011) has demonstrated that upregulation of liver FAT/CD36 is significantly correlated with IR, hyperinsulinemia, and increased liver steatosis in the context of NASH.