Of particular interest will be the potential effects of these IFIH1 variants on the ability of MDA5 to respond to dsRNA and changes in signaling pathways that lead to IL-6 and IP-10 secretion that contribute to altered risk of either developing SLE or having increased morbidity due to a predisposition for altered disease activity in patients with classified SLE. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and systemic lupus erythematosus.