Notably, RNAseq revealed that CD11chi B cells appeared related to plasma blasts with upregulation of PRDM1 (BLIMP1), AICDA (AID), and XBP1, as well as genes upregulated in SLE plasma cells51, such as BMP6, EMP3 and S100A4 (Supplementary Note 1). Here, XBP1 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.