EBV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses to all EBNA, LMP, and lytic overlapping 15-mer peptide pools were evaluated in 68 EBV-seropositive SLE patients, 25 EBV-seropositive healthy subjects, and four EBV-seronegative individuals (2 SLE patients and 2 healthy subjects). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and systemic lupus erythematosus.