These pSTAT3+ reactive astrocytes blocked the access of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells to cancer cells (Fig. 1a(a)) by the upregulating of immunosuppressive molecules such as programmed cell death–1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), vascular endothelial growth factor–A (VEGF-A), lipocalin-2, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases–1 (TIMP-1) [26]. This evidence concerns the gene CD274 and cancer.