Nevertheless, SCC ECs (Fig. 4C) demonstrated greater enrichment of proinflammatory and immune-evasive ligands (CXCL1-ACKR1, CXCL8-ACKR1, and MIF-CD74/CXCR4), whereas ADC ECs (Fig. 4D) engaged more extensively in structural and immunosuppressive signaling (laminin-integrin interactions, LGALS9-HAVCR2, and GDF15-TGFBR2). Here, GDF15 is linked to AIDS dementia complex.