ALKBH5 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Rubio et al. (2018) found that IFN I production triggered by dsDNA or human cytomegalovirus is affected by ALKBH5. ALKBH5 depletion reduces nascent IFN β1 mRNA production without detectably influencing IFN β1 mRNA decay (Rubio et al., 2018). Moreover, the levels of ALKBH5 mRNA in the peripheral blood of patients with SLE are related to anti-dsDNA antibodies, antinucleosome antibodies, rash and ulceration (Luo et al., 2020a). Based on this evidence, the ALKBH5 mRNA level might be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE (Luo et al., 2020a).