SMAD7 and Hepatic fibrosis: In the context of chronic liver injury and inflammation, TGF-β signalling in hepatic stellate cells is well known to promote liver fibrosis [13], and complete deletion of the TGF-β-signalling attenuator Smad7 [14], or specifically in hepatocytes [15], leads to enhanced fibrosis and accelerated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, respectively.