Massive parallel sequencing revealed a spectrum of abnormalities in plasma DNA from SLE patients, including hypomethylation and fragment size shortening, abnormalities that positively correlate with levels of anti-dsDNA autoAbs and SLEDAI scores; interestingly, the abnormal DNA was bound to anti-dsDNA IgGs, suggesting that either these short sequences are specific autoAgs or they are increased because binding to Abs protected them from degradation (121). This evidence concerns the gene DDX41 and systemic lupus erythematosus.