Population-based human studies have indicated that CARD9 genetic variation may modulate the risk of development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD; discussed below), ankylosing spondylitis (34), IgA nephropathy (35), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (36), and more studies are required to determine the role of the CLR/CARD9 axis in organ-specific autoimmune disease development. The gene discussed is CARD9; the disease is ankylosing spondylitis.