Other studies have reported that SLE patients exhibit a reduced number of BDCA-2 expressing pDCs, and that herpes virus induced IFN-α production is decreased in SLE PBMCs [16]; furthermore, CpG-induced IFN-α secretion was significantly reduced in monocytes and dendritic cells from SLE patients [18]. This evidence concerns the gene IFNA1 and systemic lupus erythematosus.