Furthermore, when the intracellular CTSD inhibitor was compared to the extracellular CTSD inhibitor, the hepatic total triglyceride levels were lower and the levels of fecal bile acids (indicating increased cholesterol breakdown) were higher in the extracellular inhibitor group, suggesting that extracellular CTSD inhibition leads to a better metabolic profile in NASH mice [57]. The gene discussed is CTSD; the disease is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.