Among CD56dim NK cells, CD25, CD107a and IFN-γ responses to HCC declined with increasing levels of CD57 expression with a statistically significant negative trend from CD56dim CD57− cells, through CD56dim CD57int cells to CD56dim CD57+ cells (analysis of variance for all linear trends, P ≤ 0·0001) (Fig. 4b–d). Here, IFNG is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.