CD8A and hepatocellular carcinoma: HBV-specific CD8+ T cells from CHB patients exhibited stronger cytotoxicity than from hepatitis B-related HCC patients, which presented as higher percentage of HepG2.2.15 cell death (14.67 ± 2.62% vs 11.63 ± 2.46%, P=0.016, SNK-q test, Figure 5D).