In addition, when we analyzed the correlation between disease severity using SLEDAI score and percentages of IL-23R+ T cells or IL-17+ T cells in SLE patients, only the positive correlation between SLEDAI and IL-23R+CD8+ T cells on Day 3 in active SLE group was found (r = 0.5462, P = 0.0535), but it did not reached statistical significance (Figure 5b). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and systemic lupus erythematosus.