Our scRNA-seq data and TCGA data showed a positive correlation between CD36+ CAFs and MDSCs (Fig. 3j and Supplementary Fig. S7f), but an inverse correlation was observed for effector T cells (GZMB+CD8+) (Fig. 3j), which was validated by IF assays in paraffin-embedded tumor sections from 30 primary HBV-related cases (Fig. 3k–l). This evidence concerns the gene CD36 and neoplasm.