Although there is some data suggesting that elevations of levels of serum IFN-α are present in a subset of healthy family members of patients with SLE and display features consistent with a heritable trait [28], it is not known whether elevation in type I IFNs precedes and/or predicts the conversion to symptomatic autoimmunity in ANA+ individuals. The gene discussed is IFNA1; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.