ADIPOQ and hepatocellular carcinoma: Contrary to TNF-α, which promotes the transition of NAFLD to HCC, adiponectin may exert potentially favorable effects on NAFLD and NAFLD-associated HCC; it seems that adiponectin prevents hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and possibly hepatic fibrosis, and it is evident that adiponectin antagonizes intracellular tumor-promoting pathways related to HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while it promotes HCC cell apoptotic pathways [55].