Thus, the up-regulation of IL17 expression in response to maternal infection is consistent with our observation that autoimmune-related pathways (autoimmune thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, type I diabetes mellitus) and immune activation related (asthma) disease pathways in the pup brains were down-regulated in response to maternal infection. This evidence concerns the gene IL17A and systemic lupus erythematosus.