TLR7 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Moreover, we observed a positive correlation between expression levels of TLR7-signaling molecules and IFN-α level in AOSD patients and SLE patients, consistent with the findings of a previous study showing the concordant overexpression of TLR7 and IFN-α in SLE patients [25] and IFN-α production requiring TLR7/MyD88 signaling in experimental mouse lupus [45].