Moreover, the conventional views hold that impaired TLR9 function in SLE B cells leads to a breakdown of the balance of the TLR7 and TLR9 pathways, which manifests as enhanced TLR7 signalling, impaired apoptotic death after an initial proliferative burst, and increased conversion of B cells to plasma cells instead of Bregs, which eventually worsens the disease. Here, TLR9 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.