Background: Growth arrest specific 6 (GAS 6) is the ligand for the TAM family of receptors. The TAM acronym is for the three members of this family: Tyro3, Axl, and Mer. Deficiencies in GAS 6/TAM pathway are involved in chronic inflammation, impaired immunity and cancer development. Several studies have been made to declare the exact mechanisms of its work and how it can be used as a promising therapeutic target in autoimmune diseases.
Objective: This review article aimed tosummarize what recent studies revealed about GAS6 and TAM receptors and its role in rheumatic diseases.
Methods: Growth Arrest Specific 6 Protein, TAM receptors, and the Rheumatic Diseases were all looked for in PubMed, Google scholar, and Science direct. References from relevant literature were also evaluated by the authors, but only the most recent or complete study from February 2004 to February 2021 was included. Due to the lack of sources for translation, documents in languages other than English have been ruled out. Papers that did not fall under the purview of major scientific investigations, such as unpublished manuscripts, oral presentations, conference abstracts, and dissertations, were omitted.
Conclusion: GAS 6 and protein S are well known ligands of TAM receptors that are structurally and functionally similar. Plasma levels of GAS 6 and its soluble TAM receptors increase in blood of cases affected by systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis and can be used as markers for disease diagnosis and severity.