Nine of the IFN-I-related genes, including IFI35, IFIT1, IFIT3, IFITM2, IFITM3, IFNGR2, myxovirus (influenza) resistance 1 (MX1), OAS1 and STAT1, showed a stepwise increase from NC to SLE LN− to SLE LN+, although the difference between SLE LN− and SLE LN+ on these genes (except MX1) was not statistically significant (Fig. 4b), suggesting that the dysregulation of IFN pathway genes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE. Here, IFITM2 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.