Interestingly, we found increased EGR2 expression in B cells following T cell activation in splenocytes from both lupus (MRL-lpr and B6.sle123) and control (MRL and B6) mice, and that at the activation state, EGR2 expression was significantly higher in lupus B cells when compared to their respective controls (Figs. 4 and 6 e, f). This evidence concerns the gene EGR2 and systemic lupus erythematosus.