CD44 and systemic lupus erythematosus: PBMC and T cells from patients with SLE show significantly higher activity of ROCK and ERM compared to healthy controls (68, 69) and expression levels of CD44 are strongly increased in T cells and correlate with disease activity (68, 70), suggesting that increased adhesion and migration of SLE T cells occurs due to the steady activation of the CD44-ROCK-ERM axis (45).