Notably, although anti-TGF-β treatment could also increase IFN-γ and CD107a production by NK cells from HC and CHB subjects in the co-culture system, the increased folds were significantly lower than that using NK cells from LC patients (Fig. 4g), suggesting that NK cells from LC patients may have higher sensitivity to TGF-β than those NK cells from CHB and HC subjects. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and laryngotracheoesophageal cleft.