Addition of IL-3 to splenocytes ex vivo increased PD-L1 expression on the surface of basophils as did FcεRI crosslinking (Fig. 5d) suggesting that these signals may contribute to PD-L1 overexpression on basophils in the lupus context (Figs. 1 and 2). This evidence concerns the gene IL3 and systemic lupus erythematosus.