Since serum levels of IL-18 correlated with EPC/CAC dysfunction, stimulating EPC/CAC from SLE patients with IL-18 suppressed endothelial differentiation and neutralization of IL-18 in EPC/CAC-upregulated differentiation of mature endothelial cells, indicating a deleterious role of IL-18 in vascular repair (60). Here, IL18 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.