STAT1 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Further studies have shown that miR-146a could play a negative regulatory role in autoimmunity (Boldin et al., 2011), particularly in blocking the type I IFN production in human lupus by targeting TLR-type I IFN associated genes TRAF6, IRAK1, IFN regulatory factor 5 (IRF5), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1; Tang et al., 2009).