IFI16 and Autoimmunity: In this regard, we have found that IFI16 overexpression in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) efficiently inhibits tube morphogenesis in vitro, triggers production of pro-inflammatory molecules and leads to cell death by apoptosis, suggesting that IFI16 might induce inflammation along with other detrimental cellular pathways primarily involved in autoimmunity (145, 155).