EGR2 and systemic lupus erythematosus: We next investigated whether EGR2 mRNA expression was upregulated in purified splenic CD4+ T cells from MRL-lpr mice as well as the other two different murine lupus stains B6.MRL-Faslpr/J (B6-lpr) and B6.NZMSle1/Sle2/Sle3 (B6.sle123) mice at diseased stage.