IFNA1 and systemic sclerosis: Although the primary role of type 1 IFNs, including IFNα and IFNβ, is to protect against viral infections, their excess production correlates with disease manifestations in SS, SSc, and SLE, suggesting that these signaling pathways play an important role in disease pathogenesis (Bennett et al., 2003; Emamian et al., 2009; Eloranta et al., 2010).