The addition of IFN-α to the cultures abolished completely those effects (p = 0.05, 0.016 and 0.028 between cultures of PBMC with hCDR1 and those with hCDR1+recombinant IFN-α for IL-1β, TGFβ and FoxP3, respectively) suggesting that IFN-α plays a role in the immunomodulating effects of hCDR1 in SLE. This evidence concerns the gene FOXP3 and systemic lupus erythematosus.