IFNG and systemic lupus erythematosus: COVID-19 infection causes a dysregulated cytokine response with a high resultant expression of IFN-gamma and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which in turn could potentially be exacerbated by the shift in Th1 to Th2 response seen in SLE (16).