LOX-1 was up-regulated by many pro-inflammatory cytokines, including transforming growth factor-β, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), indicating that capillarization and inflammatory response may be mutually reinforced in NAFLD (Navarra et al., 2010; Ozturk et al., 2015). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.