Female SLE (NZBWF1) and control (NZW) mice were administered nicotine or vehicle for 7 days (2 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously) in order to stimulate the cholinergic anti‐inflammatory pathway at the level of the splenic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7‐nAChR). This evidence concerns the gene CHRNA7 and systemic lupus erythematosus.