MALAT1 may mediate chemokines by regulating C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5) in hepatic stellate cells in the occurrence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis in patients with NAFLD (71, 72). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL5 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.