CD161-lectin-like transcript 1 axis beyond programmed cell death protein 1 in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 1 Proposed inhibitory role of the CD161-lectin-like transcript 1 axis in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. The CD161-lectin-like transcript 1 axis may maintain an inhibitory layer that persists despite programmed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 blockade and suppresses CD8+ T-cell effector function within the hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment. Tissue-based protein assessment and blood-based immune profiling may support the detection and longitudinal monitoring of immune signatures linked to this axis during treatment. Future studies should evaluate CD161-lectin-like transcript 1 as a biomarker and therapeutic target in carefully designed hypothesis-driven translational settings. HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; LLT1: Lectin-like transcript 1; PD-1: Programmed death-1; PD-L1: Programmed death ligand-1.