In HCC, the densities of both CD204+ Mφs (826 ± 77 and 526 ± 23 in NT and IT, respectively; P < 0.001; Fig. 1c) and CD169+ Mφs (760 ± 22 and 187 ± 16 in NT and IT, respectively; P < 0.001; Fig. 1d) also decreased in the IT compared with the NT region. This evidence concerns the gene SIGLEC1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.