Transfection of tRF-3009 mimics into CD4+ T cells, followed by IFN-α stimulation, demonstrated that overexpression of tRF-3009 activated SLE-related signaling pathways and induced oxidative phosphorylation in CD4+ T cells, whereas knockdown of tRF-3009 inhibited IFN-α-induced oxidative phosphorylation. Here, CD4 is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.