STAT4 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Furthermore, several polymorphisms in the STATs have been related to SLE susceptibility according to genome-wide association studies.23,24 Importantly, STAT4 is one of the most dominant risk alleles in SLE25 and is related with renal disease and anti-ds DNA positivity.26 On the other hand, defects in the deactivation of the JAK/STAT signaling have also been linked to SLE.