Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Expression pattern and clinical significance of Mer receptor tyrosine kinase (MerTK) on circulating natural killer (NK) cells in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors' conclusion
The expression of MerTK on circulating NK cells was significantly elevated in patients with SLE, particularly in patients with LN, and was correlated with disease activity and autoantibody titres.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls
- Exposure
- Patients with SLE vs healthy controls; Lupus nephritis (LN) vs non-LN
- SLEn = 63
- Healthy controls (HCs)n = 36reference
- Outcome
- MerTK expression on circulating NK cells (CD3-CD56+) by flow cytometry
Methodological detailsflow cytometry, bioinformatic analysis, in vitro study
- Flow cytometry
- Bioinformatic analysis
- In vitro study
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
MerTK expression on circulating NK cells
- Significantly higher in SLE than in HCs
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Correlations of NK-cell MerTK expression in SLE
- Positively correlated with SLEDAI-2K, anti-dsDNA levels, proportions and absolute count of B lymphocytes
- Negatively correlated with complement C3, complement C4, proportions and absolute count of NK cells
NK-cell MerTK expression, LN vs non-LN
- Significantly higher in LN than in non-LN
Bioinformatic analysis
- MERTK one of the dysregulated NK-cell related genes in SLE; MERTK-related DEGs associated with NK cell activation and response to IFN-I
In vitro IFN-I treatment
- MerTK expression on NK cells increased after IFN-I treatment
Original publication
Expression pattern and clinical significance of MerTK on circulating NK cells in systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus Sci Med. Published 19 June 2025. doi:10.
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