CCN2 and Hepatic fibrosis: Although the total CTGF level (r = –0.13, p = 0.44, Fig 1B) and N-terminal CTGF fragment level (r = 0.25, p = 0.13, Fig 1D) were not correlated with the liver fibrosis stage, the full-length CTGF level was significantly inversely correlated with the liver fibrosis stage (r = –0.68, p < 0.01, Fig 1C).