Expression of MS4A4A on synovial infiltrating macrophages is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis and reflects disease severity

Macrophages play a pivotal role in the progression of synovitis and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MS4A4A, a transmembrane protein, has been linked to RA disease activity, but its role in synovitis remains unclear. The present cross-sectional study analyzed MS4A4A and CX3CR1 expression on monocytes and macrophages from peripheral blood and synovial tissue from 15 RA and 14 osteoarthritis (OA) patients. MS4A4A+ cells were increased in RA compared to OA across all monocyte subsets (p < 0.001). In the synovium, MS4A4A was selectively elevated on infiltrating (CD206−MerTK−) macrophages in RA (p = 0.008), but not on resident macrophages. In RA, MS4A4A+ non-classical monocytes correlated with MS4A4A+ infiltrating macrophages (r = 0.44, p = 0.016), and these infiltrating macrophages correlated with the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) (r = 0.58, p = 0.024). Across all subsets, MS4A4A+ monocytes expressed higher CX3CR1 than MS4A4A− monocytes (p < 0.001); only MS4A4A+CX3CR1+ non-classical monocytes correlated with MS4A4A+ infiltrating macrophages (r = 0.57, p = 0.026). MS4A4A may therefore link systemic monocyte upregulation to local infiltrating macrophage accumulation and disease activity. Given MS4A4A’s reported role in promoting M2 macrophage polarization, its selective upregulation on infiltrating macrophages may indicate a plastic macrophage population and a potential biomarker for predicting therapeutic response in RA.