The beneficial effects of Gal-9 on lupus symptoms in MRL/lpr lupus-prone mice seem partially ascribed to Gal-9-induced decrease of Tim-3+ Th1 and Th17 cells because imbalance of Th17 and Th1 cells in SLE and Th17 and Tregs are critical for SLE pathogenesis. This evidence concerns the gene HAVCR2 and systemic lupus erythematosus.