AGER and hepatocellular carcinoma: Our previous data revealed that DR and the onset of fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma formation was modulated by the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in the Choline-deficient Ethionine-supplemented (CDE) diet-induced injury model and the Mdr2-knockout genetic model of cholestasis (Pusterla et al, 2013), suggesting that RAGE is a regulator for DR-associated fibrosis.