TBK1 and metabolic syndrome: Second, studies have revealed several biological functions of the cGAS-STING-TBK1 pathway in hepatocytes: activated STING signaling pathway contributes to p62 phosphorylation and protein inclusion accumulation in NASH30; STING can restrict lipophagy28 and inhibiting the STING signaling pathway can ameliorate the dyslipidemia and inflammation in FFAs-treated hepatocytes27,29.