MFGE8 protein levels were measured in sera derived from 70 SS, 76 SLE, 74 RA and 27 HC, using a commercially available ELISA kit (Human MFGE8 Elisa Kit, ABCAM, Waltham, MA, USA), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The gene discussed is MFGE8; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.