Using genetic association results obtained for other autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis to identify candidate genes, significant associations have been identified between SSc and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the BANK1, BLK, CD226, IL2RA, IL12RB, KCNA5, IRF5, STAT4, TNFAIP3, TNFSF4, and TLR2 genes [26–40]. This evidence concerns the gene IRF5 and systemic sclerosis.