Aberrant AIM2 activity might therefore contribute to the production of anti-dsDNA antibodies observed in SLE patients, through activation antigen presentation via MHC class II and induction of a CD4+ T cell response against dsDNA antigens (Waisman, Zisman & Mozes, 1996; Underhill et al., 1999). Here, AIM2 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.