The findings that hepatic LCN2 expression closely correlated with disease severity (i.e. ABIC and MELD scores), the degree of portal hypertension (i.e. levels of HVPG) and the expression of key fibrogenic genes (i.e. COL1A1, TIMP1) highly suggest a pathogenic role for LCN2 in AH. Here, LCN2 is linked to portal hypertension.