CD4 and lymphoma: Tim-3 expression in lymphoma-derived endothelial cells facilitated the growth and dissemination of lymphoma through interacting with circulating T cells and suppressing the activation of CD4+ T cells; clinically, the expression levels of Tim-3 in the endothelium of B-cell lymphoma were also observed to be correlated to dissemination and a poor prognosis [16]; and increased expression levels of Tim-3 facilitated intracellular rickettsial killing in endothelial cells during the early phase of rickettsial infection [17].