IRF5 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Indeed, enhanced levels of IRF5 mRNA and proteins were observed in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) from SLE patients and importantly, the increased levels of IRF5 correlates with elevated levels of circulating IFNα, thus highlighting the link between IRF5 genotype and dysregulation of IRF5 function and consequentially of type I IFN expression [9], [10], [12]–[15].