Regarding cytokine serum levels, SLE patients presented higher amounts of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IFNα, TNFα, GM-CSF, BLyS and leptin than HC, whereas IFNγ showed a clear tendency to reduction (Fig. 3A). This evidence concerns the gene CSF2 and systemic lupus erythematosus.