Interestingly, the lack or lower expression of LAIR1 is associated with an impaired inhibiting signal delivered upon LAIR1 engagement in B cells isolated from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients or B cell chronic leukemia (129, 132) supporting the idea that down-regulation of LAIR1 expression can be associated with autoimmune or neoplastic diseases. This evidence concerns the gene LAIR1 and systemic lupus erythematosus.