IREB2 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: Western blot analysis showed that TLR4 and p-p65 proteins were elevated in NAFLD rats, whereas overexpression of IREB2 promoted the expression of TLR4 and p-p65, and knockdown of IREB2 could inhibit the levels of TLR4 and p-p65 proteins (Figure 3C).