IRF5 and atherosclerosis: MerTK is a member of the TAM receptor tyrosine kinases that have important functions in efferocytosis and regulation of innate immunity.37 Defective efferocytosis induced by the deletion of MerTK accelerates atherosclerosis and necrotic core formation.24 However, in our study, MerTK+ macrophages were decreased in lesions in ApoE-/-Irf5-/- mice.