These data revealed that the IL-6-STAT3 signaling pathway can induce Th17 differentiation through repressing RFX1 expression, suggesting a noncanonical regulatory pathway in CD4+ T cells, and further demonstrating the important role of transcription factors and their site-specific epigenetic regulation in the pathogenesis of SLE. The gene discussed is CD4; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.