For example, oligomerization of mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) occurs in response to viral infections and leads to type I IFN-driven antiviral responses; however, this process is perturbed in patients with SLE as a consequence of mitochondrial dysfunction, whereby enhanced mROS synthesis can directly trigger spontaneous MAVS oligomerization in lymphocytes, leading to downstream induction of the type I IFN pathway [44] (Fig 4B). Here, MAVS is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.