A separate murine study has demonstrated that elevated levels of IL-6 relative to IL-2 can lead to the downregulation of FoxP3 expression in CD4+FoxP3+ T cells, resulting in their transition into ex-FoxP3 cells, although direct observations of such ex-FoxP3 cells in human autoimmune diseases are currently lacking [91]. This evidence concerns the gene IL2 and autoimmune disease.