Our study revealed that the minor rs3682134815ΔG allele carrier is also a risk for SLE susceptibility in the subset of SLE patients negative for lupus nephritis, indicating that the expression of dysfunctional IFN-λ4 in combination with the low IFN-λ3 production has a role in the pathogenesis of SLE. Here, IFNL4 is linked to lupus nephritis.