For example, the increased cytotoxicity and proinflammatory phenotype of NK cells was shown to be correlated with downregulation of CD3ξ expression in patients with SLE (48); the authors also demonstrated that caspase-3 activity was higher in NK cells from patients with SLE than those from healthy controls and that this contributed to the downregulation of CD3ξ expression in the cells, which enhanced their proinflammatory phenotype. This evidence concerns the gene CASP3 and systemic lupus erythematosus.