CD8A and myocarditis: The disruption of PD-1 induces CD8+ T cell-mediated autoimmune dilated cardiomyopathy and myocarditis (Nishimura, 2001; Wang et al., 2010), suggesting PD-1 is protective against inflammation and cardiac damage (Tarrio et al., 2012).Similarly, the knockdown of PD-L1 also leads to mortal autoimmune myocarditis in a preclinical model of Murphy Roths Large mice (Lucas et al., 2008).