Furthermore, IFNα could promote IL-17 secretion by Th17 cells, increased in SLE patients, probably through the co-stimulation provided by activated antigen-presenting cells, such as B cells, monocytes or mDCs, thus explaining the parallel release of BLyS and IL-17 in SLE cultures after IFNα treatment. Here, IFNA2 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.