The decrease of total KCs and KC1s seen in the mWD-WD and mWD-CH-WD groups in our data aligns with previously reported results from a number of studies where KC numbers were found to be dramatically decreased in diseases including MAFLD, bacterial infection, viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and acute liver injury (19–21, 40–44). This evidence concerns the gene TBCE and viral hepatitis.