Furthermore, 12 weeks old TLR9-deficient MRL/lpr mice develop more accelerated end-organ disease in the salivary glands, characterized by the development of significant mononuclear infiltrate in the periacinar region of the salivary glands, higher levels of anti-DNA autoantibodies, and more sever lupus than MRL/lpr mice (44). Here, TLR9 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.