Of note, CD8+ T cells from HCC tumours mainly exhibited a CCR7−CD45RA− effector memory phenotype and these cells expressed higher level of IL-10 receptors (IL-10R) than the paired blood CD8+ T cells (Fig. 5c and Supplementary Fig. 5a), which suggests that the activated IL-10-producing B cells can regulate CD8+ T-cell function via IL-10 signals in tumours. Here, CD8A is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.