Our previous data, which were obtained by a recently developed DNA microarray, indicated that certain IRF-related genes (IRF7, ISG15, and IFITM1) in PBMCs demonstrate a significantly increased quantitative expression in the active SLE phase when compared with the genes from both the inactive phase of SLE and normal controls [2]. The gene discussed is IFITM1; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.