DEFA1 and autoimmune disease: In agreement, the level of neutrophil α-defensin (HNP-1-3) was increased in blood of patients with T1D and SLE and in synovial fluid of RA (22) and Cathepsin G, in several autoimmune diseases like dermatomyositis, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, RA, SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome and T1D (28).