CD38 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Another study of Japanese SLE patients treated with several immunosuppressants (cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, tacrolimus, cyclosporin, methotrexate, mizoribine, rituximab, hydroxychloroquine, abatacept, mycophenolate mofetil, corticosteroids) suggested that SLE patients had higher percentages of CD4+CXCR3loT-bethi cells, CD4+HLA-DR+CD38+CXCR3loT-bethi cells, and CD45RA+Foxp3loIFNγ-producing-T-bet+ cells and phosphorylation expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in peripheral CD4+ T cells than those in controls (6).