EPCAM and hepatocellular carcinoma: Recent studies have shown that IFN-γ derived from NK cells induced HCC through the epithelial cell adhesion molecule–epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition axis in HBV transgenic mice, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive hepatocyte damage was facilitated through activated NK cells, which stimulated the HCC development (72, 73).