Significantly lower MFI values of p62 were observed in circulating lymphocytes and granulocytes from patients with RA (median 17.1, IQR 14.4–20.6; and 8.6, IQR 6.4–10.8, respectively) than in those from HC (20.2, IQR 17.3–23.1, p < 0.05; and 13.1, IQR 10.0–18.5, p < 0.001; respectively) (Fig. 2c and e). Here, SQSTM1 is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.