Summary
Females are predisposed for developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Chronic inflammation is also a feature of SLE, and the majority of SLE patients have elevated type I interferon (IFN) levels and increased expression of interferon signature genes. B cells from female SLE patients exhibit aberrant expression of X-linked immunity-related genes, including TLR7, TASL, IRAK1, TIMP1, and BTK, suggesting that dysregulation of X-linked gene expression may contribute to the female bias of this disease. While Type I IFN has pleiotropic effects on the
