Evidence for the role of BCL2 in SLE was provided by a study showing high BCL2 expression in circulating lymphocytes in SLE patients.487–489 In addition, BCL2 polymorphisms were found to be associated with the pathogenesis of SLE.490 In B cells derived from SLE, reduced induction of BCL-XL and MCL1 levels were observed upon in vitro stimulation as compared to healthy control cells,491 which may indicate a higher functional importance of BCL2 also in B cells in SLE patients. This evidence concerns the gene BCL2 and systemic lupus erythematosus.