The aim of this study was to investigate the mRNA expression levels of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with healthy controls. The associations of systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index scores and clinical features of SLE with the expression levels of SOCS1 mRNA were also evaluated. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was applied to detect the mRNA expression levels of SOCS1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 34 patients with SLE and 34 healthy controls. The mRNA expression level of SOCS1 was significantly decreased in SLE patients in comparison with healthy controls (Z = -4.207, P < 0.001). Lower SOCS1 mRNA expression was detected in active SLE patients when compared with inactive ones (Z = -2.428, P = 0.015). There was no significant difference found for the SOCS1 mRNA levels between SLE patients with nephritis and those without (Z = -0.642, P = 0.521). The presence of photosensitivity, proteinuria, positive antinuclear antibody, and C4 decline were associated with SOCS1 mRNA levels in SLE patients (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, the SOCS1 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with disease activity (r s = -0.372, P = 0.030). Our results suggest that the dysregulation of SOCS1 might be associated with the pathogenesis of SLE.