SMPD1 and steatosis: Regarding whether the nSMase2 inhibition could suppress inflammatory response in the HepG2 cell model of steatosis, the data show that nSMase2 inhibition using GW4869 significantly downregulated TNF-α expression when the cells were challenged with steatosis-inducing stimuli (p ≤ 0.01); however, TNF-α suppression using aSMase inhibitor Imip did not reach the statistical significance (Figure 5A).