Fig. 3.

Membrane-associated ERα expression levels and anti-ERα Ab levels. a Membrane-associated ERα expression levels were evaluated by flow cytometry. Values of mERα/isotype control mean fluorescence intensity ratio (rMFI) are reported, and data are represented as box plots displaying medians, 25th and 75th percentiles as boxes, and the lowest and highest values as whiskers. b Anti-ERα Abs (median with range) in sera from patients with SLE and healthy controls. Samples were considered positive if the OD at 490 nm was higher than the cutoff value of an OD at 490 nm of 0.2 (broken line). The cutoff value was defined as 3 SD above the mean OD at 490 nm in healthy controls. Circles represent individual samples. c Correlation of anti-ERα Ab levels with the SLEDAI-2K score. The Spearman’s rho (R) and p values were determined using the Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. Solid lines represent best fits as estimated by linear regression analysis. ctrs healthy controls, mERα membrane-associated ERα, OD optical density, SLEDAI-2K Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000