Additionally, although the CHI3L1 protein was expressed at different levels in the hepatocytes of patients with NAFLD and NASH, the positive cells of both were mainly localized in the hepatoportal vasculature, and immunohistochemical staining revealed abundantly expressed CHI3L1 in infiltrating inflammatory cells and hepatocytes. Here, CHI3L1 is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.