Counterintuitively, feeding soy protein significantly increased liver expression of lipogenic genes including fatty acid synthase (FASN), malic enzyme 1 (ME1), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and SREBP-2 genes in the livers of obese rats, suggesting soy protein reduces liver steatosis not by inhibiting lipogenesis (84). This evidence concerns the gene ME1 and fatty liver disease.