SMAD4 and connective tissue disorder: Other upstream TFs that are DEGs are (a) SMAD4, which is downstream of the growth factor TGFB, and is a major determinant of the pathway Diseases and Biofunctions, Connective Tissue Disorders; (b) IRF1 and IRF7, which both regulate the transcription of interferon genes and are linked to TLR signalling; (c) CEBPB, which is important in the regulation of genes such as interferons that are involved in immune and inflammatory responses, acute-phase and cytokine genes, as well as connective tissue genes.