SPP1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Indeed, the average expression of SPP1 in SPP1+ Mφ was almost 3 folds higher than in C1QA+ Mφ (average log2 fold change = 1.53, adjusted p-value = 2.27E-236), suggesting that SPP1+ Mφ are key contributors to the SPP1 – CD44 ligand-receptor axis, facilitating interactions between macrophages and T cells in HCC.