Moreover, a dual TLR7 and TLR9 antagonist demonstrated its efficacy in reducing plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) of SLE patients and lowering IFN-α-regulated genes; these data have further been confirmed in murine models [New Zealand Black/New Zealand White (NZB/NZW)] [10]. Here, TLR9 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.