Increased plasma levels of Gas6 and its soluble tyrosine kinase receptors Mer and Axl are associated with immunological activity and severity of lupus nephritis

Growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6) and its receptors have been shown to play a crucial role in the homeostasis of the innate immune system by regulating apoptosis and inflammation. We aimed to verify whether an impairment of this system is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and with lupus nephritis (LN)