Fig 1: Comparison of metabolite alteration between HC and LC groups. (A) Time-series analysis of key metabolites’ expression in disease-related regions based on the negative ionization mode. (B) Alteration of metabolic pathways of HBV infection progression in LC regions (blue background: HL vs. RN, green background: HL vs. fibrosis, and red background: HL vs. PL). (C) Key metabolites’ spatial expression in LC regions based on the negative ionization mode. (D) CEPT1 and ACOT2 expression levels in HC and LC groups. (E) The quantification of CEPT1 and ACOT2 foci in 2 groups. *p < 0.05, and ****p < 0.0001. Abbreviations: ACOT2, acyl-CoA thioesterase 2; CEPT1, choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferase 1; HC, healthy control; HL, hepatic lobule; LC, liver cirrhosis; PL, pseudolobule; RN, relative normal.