Functional annotation of CTSD and its co-expressed genes showed that lncRNA PSMG3-AS1 and MIRLET7BHG in NAFLD controlled the expression of CTSD through their target miRNAs, subsequently regulating the CAMKK2 pathway, extracellular matrix organization, autophagy, etc. (Figure 6A). This evidence concerns the gene CAMKK2 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.