Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41716147›Full record

ArticleJournal of cell science2026

MERTK coordinates efferocytosis by regulating integrin localization and activation.

Brandon H Dickson, Tarannum Tasnim, Rachel A Nicholson, Natalie Stanlake, Austin L Lam, Angela M Vrieze, Eoin N Blythe, Gregory A Dekaban, Bryan Heit

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cell science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Brandon H DicksonDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Tarannum TasnimDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Rachel A NicholsonDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Natalie StanlakeDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Austin L LamDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Angela M VriezeDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Eoin N BlytheDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Gregory A DekabanDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Bryan HeitDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2392-468X

Funding

CIHR PJT-162203Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada RGPIN-2022-03515The University of Western Ontario
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Efferocytosis is mediated by MERTK in many tissues, but the signaling pathway and molecular mechanisms used by MERTK to engulf apoptotic cells is largely unknown. Here, using mass spectrometry and super-resolution microscopy, we identified 180 nm receptor complexes comprised of MERTK, β2 integrins and several associated signaling molecules. Efferocytosis was found to be dependent on both MERTK and β2 integrins, with MERTK inducing the conformational change of β2 integrins from low to high-affinity via a PI3K-dependent pathway, with the active integrins then mediating the expansion of an efferocytic synapse around the apoptotic cell. This synapse was highly structured, with MERTK retained by ligand-induced clustering in the synapse centre, while β2 integrins and actin form a Src family kinase and FAK-dependent expanding ring that defined the leading edge of the efferocytic synapse. These findings provide new insights into the function of this crucial homeostatic receptor and provide new insights into how MERTK mutations and signaling defects might contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Indexed as

CD18 Antigensc-Mer Tyrosine KinaseEfferocytosisAnimalsApoptosisHumansMacrophagesMicePhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesSignal TransductionCD18 Antigensc-Mer Tyrosine KinaseMertk protein, mousePhosphatidylinositol 3-KinasesEfferocytosisIntegrinMacrophagesMERTKSignaling

Identifiers

PMID41716147
PMCPMC13070255

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.