Collectively, data from in vitro and in vivo model systems, analysis of human liver tissue/serum, and the literature identifying an endocrine role for adipocyte-derived FABP4 in diverse disease pathologies [199,200] demonstrate that ethanol-induced hepatosteatosis promotes de novo FABP4 synthesis and release from hepatocytes, and FABP4 stimulates HCC cell expansion (proliferation and migration) in vitro. Here, FABP4 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.