Interestingly, emerging evidence from SLE patients has identified elevated levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, including IL‐1β, IL‐18 and TNF‐α in their serum [14, 15, 16], while our latest findings from SLE model mice have found significant elevation of these inflammatory cytokines within intervertebral disc, which are implicated in organ damage and the development of inflammatory arthritis in these tissues [17]. The gene discussed is IL18; the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.