In contrast, in an HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model, IFNγ produced by NK cells was found to induce STAT1-dependent expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecules, promoting the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of HBV surface antigen-positive hepatocytes and increasing HCC incidence in vivo [169]. Here, EPCAM is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.