BATF and neoplasm: D + T upregulated IPA pathways associated with T cell activation through a different set of genes: CD28, GFI1, IL21, LTA, BATF (basic leucine zipper ATF-like transcription factor), and CCR4. Of these, IL21 and BATF both induced the differentiation of Th17 cells, which have been reported to play a complex and controversial role in tumor immunity.