CD8A and rheumatoid arthritis: Remarkably, in the K/BxN chronic mouse model of RA, depletion of CD8+T cells by thymectomy (to prevent new cells from emerging) cured the mice of RA.47 Together, these studies support the hypothesis that CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) may indeed play an important role in promoting synovial inflammation and immune propagation in RA patients.