For example, increased levels of Alu dsRNAs are seen in inflammatory diseases, MS (12), IBD (this study), SLE (49) in response to severe viral disease (10), and in certain forms of macular degeneration (31), and may be major drivers of the IRF and NF-kB driven transcriptional responses that are observed in these diseases and are thought to contribute to pathogenesis. This evidence concerns the gene NFKB1 and irritable bowel syndrome.