The biological process of GO enrichment analysis of the cDEGs (Fig. 5E) showed that ZEN exposure might increase the risk of NAFLD through cellular response to organic substance, lipid metabolic process and response to oxygen-containing compound, etc. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of cDEGs (Fig. 5F) showed that ZEN exposure might increase the risk of NAFLD through pathways in cancer, PI3K − Akt signaling pathway and Non − alcoholic fatty liver disease, etc. The PPI analysis of the cDEGs (Fig. 5G) showed that the top 5 genes with the highest scores included SCD1, CCL2, IL-1β, PTGS2 and MYC. This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.