To investigate whether the accumulation of uncleared dead cell debris and the presence of associated antigens are mechanistically required for the generation of DN T cell from self-reactive CD8 T cells and whether the lupus milieu marked by MZM deficiency could facilitate this conversion, we co-transferred CFSE-labeled CD8+ OT-I TCR transgenic (Tg) T cells with apoptotic thymocytes derived from m-OVA Tg mice into B6 mice treated with or without Clodrosome. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.