IRF2 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Subsequent reporter assay showed a possibility that rs66801661 and rs62339994 may be the functional SNPs, and that the possession of the risk alleles may result in higher transcriptional activity of IRF2. Our observations demonstrated that IRF2 may contribute to susceptibility to SLE in a Japanese population, which supports the findings by Ramos et al in a European-American population [20], [21].