However, inhibition of autophagy with 3-MA decreased T cell apoptosis (20.37% ± 5.15% versus 32.13% ± 9.37%,  p = 0.0361), mainly in CD4+T cells (9.45% ± 1.72% versus 12.05% ± 1.50%,  p = 0.0469) (Figure 3(c)), further confirming the relationship between autophagy and apoptosis of T cells from SLE patients. This evidence concerns the gene CD4 and systemic lupus erythematosus.