To address whether our observations are specifically associated with susceptibility for lupus, we analyzed for the presence of SmD1p-specific CD4+ T cells in the genetically related mouse strain (BALB/c x NZW) F1 (CW F1) which bears the same MHC haplotypes as the NZB/W F1 strain but does not develop lupus-like disease. Here, HLA-C is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.