Unexpectedly, CD274 molecule, which has been speculated to play a major role in suppressing the immune system during autoimmune disease and disease states, including hepatitis, is down-regulated by IGKV3-20 in PBMCs of MML while strongly up-regulated in all the other HCV-positive samples (Figure 2B) [26]. Here, IGKV3-20 is linked to autoimmune disease.