Such TIM-1 induction upon BCR activation was previously demonstrated in murine germinal center B cells [42], and could be a possible explanation for the positive correlation we observed in transitional B cells from patients with SSc, between the expression levels of TIM-1 and CD19, a B cell activating co-receptor that has been previously reported to be upregulated in SSc B cells [28, 33]. The gene discussed is CD19; the disease is systemic sclerosis.