Activated cGAS-STING signaling promotes malignancy in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease via mitochondrial DNA and immune cell dysfunction

Table 4 Dynamic changes in circulating stimulator of interferon genes levels and inflammatory mediator levels, mean ± SD

Group	n	STING (μg/L)	IFN-I (μg/L)	NF-κB (μg/L)	TNF-α (μg/L)	TGF-β1 (μg/L)
NC	12	5.8 ± 2.8	50.8 ± 3.1	4.3 ± 2.6	85.4 ± 21.8	6.5 ± 2.3
MAFLD	12	11.2 ± 8.2a	121.2 ± 28.6c	11.3 ± 2.8c	158.0 ± 12.8c	9.8 ± 3.2b
MASH	17	26.8 ± 12.9c	195.9 ± 36.5c	17.8 ± 5.4c	228.2±1 0.7c	13.2 ± 6.4b
LC	15	35.5 ± 14.2c	219.2 ±54.8c	31.8 ± 10.4c	301.2 ± 30.8c	15.6 ± 9.8b
HCC	10	108.6 ± 28.1c	328.4 ±89.8c	93.1 ± 25.3c	486.5 ± 61.5c	28.6 ± 21.6c
F value		28.198	93.771	1060.999	280.899	14.602
P value		< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001	< 0.001

^aP < 0.05 vs the normal control (NC) group.

^bP < 0.01 vs the NC group.

^cP < 0.001 vs the NC group.

STING: Stimulator of interferon genes; IFN-I: Type-I interferon; NF-κB: Nuclear factor-κB; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; TGF-β1: Transforming growth factor-β1; NC: Normal control; MAFLD: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; MASH: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis; LC: Liver cirrhosis; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma.