However, we found that serum GITRL levels were significantly higher in patients with lupus nephritis and vasculitis compared with those patients without these manifestations as well as with normal controls (P = 0.0273; P = 0.0493, resp.; Figure 4), indicating a correlation of increased serum GITRL with renal damage and vasculitis in SLE patients. The gene discussed is TNFSF18; the disease is lupus nephritis.