As demonstrated in Fig. 1a, the levels of Gal-9 were significantly higher in patients with ASD (median: 21. 57ng/ml, IQR [11.41–39.72]) compared to those in patients with RA (7.58 ng/ml, IQR [5.57–10.20] p < 0.001) and HCs (4.51 ng/ml, [IQR; 3.58–5.45], p < 0.001). Here, LGALS9 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.