Considering our previous results showing that Bank1 controls IL-6 protein secretion in the TLR9 signaling pathway, that Bank1 posses a TIR conformational domain, and to investigate if Bank1 had any in vivo and/or in vitro effects on the TLR7 pathway and consequently on the development of lupus and lupus-related phenotypes, we produced crosses of the Bank1-/- with the B6.Sle1. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.