Anti-DNA antibodies bind to endogenous DNA released from dead cells to form antibody-DNA-ICs (26), which are then phagocytosed by pDCs via FcγRs prior to recognition by intracellular TLR9; this triggers production of type I IFN and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which drive pathogenesis of SLE (8, 9, 27, 28). This evidence concerns the gene TLR9 and systemic lupus erythematosus.