MerTK-mediated efferocytosis promotes immune tolerance and tumor progression in osteosarcoma through enhancing M2 polarization and PD-L1 expression

T cells and decreasing their exhaustion. Our findings demonstrate that MerTK-mediated efferocytosis promotes osteosarcoma progression by enhancing M2 polarization of macrophages and PD-L1-induced immune tolerance, which were regulated through the p38/STAT3 pathway.