Using this approach, we identified acyl-CoA thioesterase 1 (ACOT1), a cytoplasmic thioesterase that converts acyl-CoAs to fatty acids and CoA, as being a central node in the interactome of the transition from steatosis to MASH, with a 3-fold higher expression in MASH patients compared to steatosis. The gene discussed is ACOT1; the disease is steatosis.