['Pathogenesis and factors for determining progression of alcoholic and non-alcoholic steatosis to steatohepatitis with risk of further progression to liver cirrhosis and cancer are poorly understood. In the present study, we aimed to identify potential molecular signatures for discrimination of steatohepatitis from steatosis.', 'Global microarray gene expression analysis was applied to unravel differentially expressed genes between steatohepatitis compared to steatosis and control samples. For functional annotation as well as the identification of disease-relevant biological processes of the differentially expressed genes the gene ontology (GO) database was used. Selected candidate genes (n = 46) were validated in 87 human liver samples from two sample cohorts by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The GO analysis revealed that genes down-regulated in steatohepatitis were mainly involved in metabolic processes. Genes up-regulated in steatohepatitis samples were associated with cancer progression and proliferation. In surgical liver resection samples, 39 genes and in percutaneous liver biopsies, 30 genes were significantly up-regulated in steatohepatitis. Furthermore, immunohistochemical investigation of human liver tissue revealed a significant increase of AKR1B10 protein expression in steatohepatitis.'] Does gene expression profiling unravel cancer-related hepatic molecular signatures in steatohepatitis but not in steatosis?