ATG7 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: In contrast, autophagy marker ubiquitin-like proteins autophagy-related genes 12 (Atg12) and 7 Atg7 [21], which form a complex, and phosphorylated form of protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (P-PERK), a marker of NASH-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress [22], were both highly overexpressed in the surrounding liver of STAM mice, but their expression was reduced in CACHD1+ foci, HCAs and HCCs of STAM mice (Figure 2B).