PNPLA3 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: In addition, recent studies have reported a potential role of some specific genetic polymorphisms, especially rs738409 C>G p.I148M in the PNPLA3 (patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3) gene, in the progression of NAFLD [147], MAFLD [148], and CKD [149].