ArticleHepatology (Baltimore, Md.)2026
Anti-angiogenic therapy combined with immune checkpoint blockade mediates CCR7 + CD8 + T-cell entry into HCC through high endothelial venules.
Article in Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A dual-level Bayesian network meta-analysis of first-line immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: strategy-level and regimen-level evidence.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with anti-VEGF/TKIs and TACE in uHCC: a meta-analysis.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Pooled it
- The formation and function of tertiary lymphoid structures.Biomarker research · 2026Review
- Longitudinal analysis of genomic and immune differences between primary and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma for precision oncology.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Combination therapy with Nifuroxazide and Lenvatinib exerts superior anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect by enhancing the anti-tumor immune response.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Engineered iron oxide nanoplatforms: reprogramming immunosuppressive niches for precision cancer theranostics.Molecular cancer · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
16 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsHCC remains a leading cause of cancer mortality in China. Anti-angiogenic drugs (AADs) plus immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) combination therapy shows considerable promise for HCC; however, its efficacy is hampered by immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment. High endothelial venules (HEVs) facilitate lymphocyte migration and tumor infiltration. The aim was to study the formation, functional mechanisms, and clinical relevance of HEVs in the treatment of HCC with combination therapy. APPROACH AND
resultsSingle-nucleus RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry revealed increased HEV expression and higher CD3 + T-cell infiltration in HCC tissue after a combination of AAD and ICB therapy. Multiplex immunohistochemistry and spatial analysis demonstrated that CCR7 + CD8 + T cells were spatially associated with HEVs. Pseudotime analysis of human T cells and treatment of Hepa1-6 orthotopic liver tumor mouse models with CCR7 + CD8 + T-cell transfusions were used to show that CCR7 + CD8 + T cells can differentiate into cytotoxic effector T cells. The same models demonstrated that combination therapy activated VEGFC and non-canonical NF-κB pathways, promoting HEV formation. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that high HEV density correlated with improved clinical response and prolonged survival.
conclusionsHEVs are pivotal in modulating immune activity within the HCC tumor microenvironment. Targeting the VEGFC-NF-κB (non-canonical)-HEV axis could be a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance antitumor immunity and improve outcomes in patients with HCC who are receiving combination AAD plus ICB therapy.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.