The lupus variant influences IRF8 gene expression, since LCLs from three HapMap cohorts, showed a significant increase in IRF8 transcript levels in homozygotes for the risk allele (TT) compared to homozygotes for the non-risk allele (CC) (P = 0.045) (Figure 2A). Here, IRF8 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.