USP18 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: Additionally, PPI network analysis identified 10 hub genes within the SDEGs, such as CD2, PRF1, CXCL11, IFI44, USP18, IFIT3, TRIM22, IFIT2, CXCL9, and GBP5, all up-regulated in NASH and IBD patients, underlining their importance in the pathogenesis of two diseases.