Our in vitro studies verified the sizeable contribution of XIST-derived TLR7 ligands to TLR7 signaling and IFN-α production by pDCs, findings that were mirrored in kidney-infiltrating and peripheral blood leukocytes from women with SLE, in which XIST RNA levels were correlated with the IFN signature and disease activity, respectively. This evidence concerns the gene TLR7 and systemic lupus erythematosus.