CD44 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: Inhibition of p53 activity results in hepatocyte escape from p53-dependent apoptosis and promotes the reprogramming of hepatocytes into HCC progenitor cells.51 CD44 promotes NASH and NASH-associated HCC in mice.52,53 These reports indicate that CD44 promotes M1 polarization of liver macrophages in NASH and the CD44-HA interaction mediates KC-dependent intrahepatic platelet accumulation in NASH-HCC.