Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the top ranked pathway was the SLE genetic marker-specific pathway in antigen-presenting cells (p = 0.01), this pathway includes important elements of IFN signaling (STAT1, and IFN-induced with helicase C domain 1-IFIH1 [MDA-5]) (Additional file 1: Table S7). Here, IFNA1 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.