Human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 and Huh7), hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 and human pancreatic cancer MIAPaCa-2 cells were maintained in Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium (RPMI 1640) (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) supplemented with 1-10% fetal bovine serum, penicillin (100 U/mL) and streptomycin (100 μg/mL) at 5% CO2 and 37°C. HepG2, Huh7 and MIAPaCa-2 cells were purchased from the Japanese Collection of Research Bioresources Cell Bank (Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan) 26 (link), 51 (link). LX-2 cells, spontaneously immortalized cells, were kindly provided by Prof. Scott L. Friedman, Mount Sinai Medical School, NY, USA 52 (link). Oleic acid-albumin from bovine serum was purchased from Sigma.