MAPK8 and Hepatic steatosis: Interestingly, the inhibition of hepatic JNK activity has also been shown to increase fatty acid oxidation and decrease lipogenesis, thus alleviating liver steatosis.49 Hence, reduced JNK signaling in TAOK1-deficient hepatocytes may have contributed to the observed alterations in lipid metabolism; however, this possibility has not been further investigated in the current study.