In ESCC, additional incoming signaling patterns such as MK, PTN, LT, EGF, and LIGHT pathways were outstanding (Figure 5a, yellow asterisks), which were confirmed as distinct sender populations (MDK from myCAFs, PTN from CAFs, HBEGF from myeloid cells, and LTB from Tregs and B TILs) in scRNA-seq analysis (Figure 5e). Here, MDK is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.