CD38 Deficiency Ameliorates Chronic Graft--Host Disease Murine Lupus a B-Cell-Dependent Mechanism.

The absence of the mouse cell surface receptor CD38 in mice suggests that this receptor acts as a positive regulator of inflammatory and autoimmune responses. Here, we report that, in the context of the chronic graft--host disease (cGVHD) lupus inducible model, the transfer of B6.C-H2bm12/KhEg(bm12) spleen cells into co-isogenic B6 mice causes milder lupus-like autoimmunity with lower levels of anti-ssDNA autoantibodies than the transfer of bm12 spleen cells into WT B6 mice.