PTX3 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Because we had found Ptx3-deficiency impaired the rapid clearance of apoptotic cells we hypothesized that sustained exposure to dead cells would modulate the activation of dendritic cells, cells that handle lupus autoantigens and drive the expansion of autoreactive lymphocytes in SLE, like in E8-Mag or DNAse 1-deficient mice [30], [31].