Meta-analysis of two Chinese populations identifies an autoimmune disease risk allele in 22q11.21 as associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

Introduction Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous disease with a diverse spectrum of clinical symptoms, ranging from skin rash to end-organ damage. 22q11.21 has been identified as a susceptibility region for several autoimmune diseases, including SLE. However, detailed information for SLE association and the underlying functional mechanism(s) is still lacking.