ATG5 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Furthermore, numerous studies have established a relationship between SNP in the ATG5 gene and the Prdm1–ATG5 intergenic region with the development of SLE and, in a European population, rheumatoid arthritis (International Consortium for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus et al., 2008; Gateva et al., 2009; Raychaudhuri et al., 2009).