CD8A and autoimmune disease: Therefore, in sharp contrast to the suppressive role of Clec4A2 in the expansion of CD11c+ DCs for the development of autoimmune diseases, Clec4A4 could specifically downregulate the maturation and activation of CD8α− cDCs rather than their expansion, leading to impairment of the pathogenic responses of CD4+ Teff cells, which is responsible for amelioration of the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.