Fig. 1

Increased Tim-3 expression on circulating and intratumoral NK cells from esophageal cancer patients. a Representative flow plots of NK (CD3⁻CD56⁺) cells and T (CD3⁺CD56⁻) cells in paired PBMC and TIL from an esophageal cancer patient. b Proportions of NK cells and CD3⁺ T cells in paired PBMC and TIL from esophageal cancer patients. c Proportions of CD56^bright and CD56^dim NK cell subsets in paired PBMC and TIL in patients with esophageal cancer. d Representative flow plots of Tim-3⁺ NK cells in a esophageal cancer patient and a healthy donor (HD). e Proportions of Tim-3⁺ NK cells in patients with esophageal cancer (n = 44) and healthy donors (n = 14). f Proportions of Tim-3⁺ on CD56^dim and CD56^bright NK cell subsets in paired PBMC and TIL in patients with esophageal cancer. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; ns, not significant