STING1 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Interestingly, a recent study demonstrated that impaired mitophagy led to the non-removal of mitochondria from red blood cells in some SLE patients, which promoted the induction of type I IFNs via cGAS-STING when phagocytosed by monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro (43), suggesting another mechanism that can activate cGAS-STING in monocytic cells.