Cells from SOCS1 knockout mice showed that, at physiological levels, SOCS1 has no effect on the magnitude or duration of IL6 induced Stat3 activation but does have a significant inhibitory effect on the magnitude of IL6 induced Stat1 activation [40], so it is possible that SOCS1 is responsible for the pathway-specific regulation of IL-6 signaling in early SLE. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and systemic lupus erythematosus.