The TLR7 agonist imiquimod drives lupus nephritis in mice (12, 13), whereas lupus nephritis spontaneously developed in the lupus-prone strain, New Zealand Black/New Zealand White F1 mice (NZBWF1 mice) is ameliorated by a small chemical TLR7 inhibitor (14). Here, TLR7 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.