VRK2 and systemic lupus erythematosus: The strongest (and negative) associations were found between IL1RII levels and SLE-DMPs at a number of IRGs such as PARP9 and IFI44L. We found SLE CpG-cytokine association for TNFa (VRK2, PARP9), IL1ra (BST2, ATP10A), IL1RII (IFITM1, ARID5B), MCP2 (IFI44L, CMPK2), and IP10 (NLRC5, B2M) which were not observed in CTRLs.