The results of real-time quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the means of IFIT4 relative mRNA levels were 37.84 ± 3.52 in PBMCs from SLE patients and 10.58 ± 2.64 in those from healthy control individuals, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001; Figure 1a). This evidence concerns the gene IFIT3 and systemic lupus erythematosus.