This may due to the lymphopoenia commonly seen in patients with SLE.6 Decreases in cytotoxic cell counts and function in the peripheral of patients with SLE were observed and linked with SLE disease activity by Chen and Tsokos.11 Conversely, Robinson et al found an increase in total CD8+ T cells in patients with juvenile-onset SLE compared with healthy controls.6 In current study, we did not find difference in CD8+ cell counts between patients with LN and iMN. This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and systemic lupus erythematosus.