STAT4 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Interestingly, in the case-control analysis, the HLA-DR3 (DRB1*0301) SNP marker was not as strongly associated with LN as STAT4. While the HLA-DR3 allele confers a 2-3 fold increased risk of SLE in Caucasian populations the role of the MHC in LN has been less well elucidated [7], [40].