To investigate the function of mucin-domain containing-3 (Tim-3) on macrophage activation, Yang et al. [103] revealed that the expression of Tim-3 is increased on renal macrophages in patients with DN, which is associated with renal dysfunction; moreover, upregulated Tim-3 in macrophages expedites podocyte injury via activating the NF-κB/TNF-α signaling pathway. Here, TNF is linked to liver dysplastic nodule.