Meanwhile in rats with NAFLD: i) metformin inhibited hepatic total cholesterol and TGF-β, increased diarrhea frequency, and slightly decreased liver steatosis, and fibrosis; ii) 4-hydroxychalcone decreased IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β, increased IL-10, and markedly decreased liver steatosis and fibrosis; and iii) co-treatment markedly decreased food intake, total caloric intake, and body weight, increased diarrhea; increased IL-10, showing and intermediate effect on decrease TNF-α, TGF-β, liver steatosis and fibrosis.
Furthermore, NK cell depletion in Jα18<sup>-/-</sup> or IL-10<sup>-/-</sup> mice caused more severe hepatosteatosis, implying NK cells are the direct effector cells to inhibit liver steatosis.