It is intriguing that the well-characterized ALL risk allele in IKZF1 (Ikaros) is also protective against type 1 diabetes25, paralleling our findings at rs2290400 near IKZF3. The seeming paradox wherein a risk allele for asthma and diabetes is associated with decreased risk of childhood ALL, a disease also linked to immune activation (as exemplified by an association with documented history of infectious diseases)26,27, may be explained by complex interactions. The gene discussed is IKZF3; the disease is asthma.