In comparison, CD4+ depletion/anti-PD-1 treatment resulted in severe decrease of anti-tumor immunity for Hepa1-6 (NES > 1.5, p < 0.05) while a strong increase of anti-tumor immunity for MC38 (NES < − 1.5, p < 0.05) per immune-response pathways down-regulation in Hepa1-6 and up-regulation in MC38 tumors (Fig. 4C). Here, PDCD1 is linked to neoplasm.