STAT4 and systemic lupus erythematosus: However, CD4+ naive T cells from both healthy individuals and SLE patients carrying the non-risk homozygous (NR/NR) genotype (rs7582694G and rs7574865G) exhibit significantly lower levels of STAT4 compared to cells carrying the high-risk homozygous (R/R) genotype (rs7582694C and rs7574865T) during T-cell differentiation, and activation of cells from healthy individuals and SLE patients with the R/R genotype shows increased levels of transcriptionally active STAT4 and production of interferon-γ (50).