In lupus-prone mice, pDC dysfunction manifests in several ways: aged lupus-prone mice show pDC resistance to glucocorticoids (35), and pDCs from NZB mice have a longer lifespan than those from C57BL/6 mice, leading to elevated IFN-α levels in the former. The gene discussed is IFNA1; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.