STAT3 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: Meanwhile, the protein expression of several NAFLD/NASH-related genes, including endoplasmic-reticulum-stress-related PERK and IRE-1α [24], as well as the phosphorylation of STAT3 and NF-κB (p65), was examined in the resmetirom-treated NAFLD/NASH model established with HepG2 cells.