Comparison of serum MMPs, TIMPs, and cytokine levels in patients with early NASH/advanced NASH, and healthy controls. Serum levels of MMP-1 (A), MMP-2 (B), MMP-9 (C), TIMP-1 (D), TIMP-2 (E), SDF-1α (F), SCF-1 (G), SCGF-β (H), MCP-1 (I), G-CSF (J), Leptin (K), Ghrelin (L); Serum levels of MMP-1 and MMP-9 in early NASH patients tended to be higher than in patients with advanced NASH and in healthy controls but this was not statistically significant. The serum levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-1 in advanced NASH patients were statistically higher than in healthy controls. The serum levels of cytokines showed significantly higher values in NASH patients. MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; TIMP, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase; NASH, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; SDF, stromal cell-derived factor; SCF, stem cell factor; SCGF-β, stem cell growth factor-β; MCP, monocyte chemotactic protein; G-CSF, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. Statistical significance: *P<0.05, **P<0.01.