APOE and steatosis: Characterization of genes involved in hepatic lipid and lipoprotein metabolism uncovered a bi-phase pattern: ApoB, ApoE, and low-density lipoprotein receptor (Ldlr) were up-regulated at the early stage of MASLD (steatosis), which may be a compensatory response of the liver to cope with the overwhelming lipids accumulated in hepatocytes (Fig. 4C).