As shown in Figures 4A and 5A, a number of co-stimulatory molecules, namely CD40L, OX-40, GITR, and TIM-1 were significantly upregulated on both effector (Figure 4A) and regulatory CD4+ T cells (Figure 5A) in patients with liver cirrhosis compared to healthy controls, as well as the T cell activation markers CD69 and CD38. This evidence concerns the gene CD69 and cirrhosis of liver.