Similar to our findings, both the PTPN22 rs2476601 and CTLA4 rs3087243 risk variants were shown to be susceptibility loci for autoimmune diseases including anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and autoimmune polyglandular autoimmunity (35, 36). Here, PTPN22 is linked to autoimmune disease.