Although CD45, CD4 and CD8 immune cells were abundantly infiltrated in the tumor microenvironment of HCC patients with high level PKM2, these patients also have higher levels of inflammatory factors, such as TNF and IL-6, and chemokines including CXCL1 and CSF1, as well as the immune inhibitory factors, such as CD274 (PD-L1), CTLA4, and LAG3. Here, TNF is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.