The decreased CD80/CD86 ratio in DCs from NZM2410 mice after the onset of the disease resembles the defective costimulatory profile found in DCs from patients with SLE [2,4] and validates the use of NZM2410 and NZB-W/F1 strains as murine models for the study of human SLE. The gene discussed is CD80; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.