In addition, DN2 B cell precursors, called activated naïve B cells (aNAV), that are IgD+ve CD27-ve CD21-ve CD24-ve CD38-ve (13), were almost doubled in frequency in the blood of RA patients compared to the healthy controls (2.19% ± 0.67 vs 1.13% ± 0.45, P=0.0329) (Figure 1C). Here, CD38 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.