INTRODUCTION Microvascular damage and defective angiogenesis and vasculogenesis have a major role in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) is a proangiogenic molecule which is predominantly expressed and secreted by endothelial cells and their progenitors and controls vascular development and integrity. In this study, we investigated the pos...

It is well known that microRNAs play a very important role in regulating reprogramming, pluripotency and cell fate decisions. Porcine induced pluripotent stem cells (piPSCs) are now available for studying the pluripotent regulation network in pigs. Two types of piPSCs have been derived from human and mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) culture conditions: hpiPSCs and mpiPSCs, respectively. The hpiP...

BACKGROUND Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterised by vascular changes and immunologically induced fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Systemic sclerosis may be associated with both right (RV) and left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction. AIM To analyse RV and LV myocardial diastolic function in patients with SSc and its relation to exercise capacity. ...

Background: During scleroderma (SSc) pathogenesis, fibroblasts acquire an activated phenotype characterized by enhanced production of extracellular matrix (ECM) and constitutive activation of several major signaling pathways including extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK1/2). Several studies have addressed the role of ERK1/2 in SSc fibrosis however the mechanism of its prolonged activation ...

INTRODUCTION Scleroderma or systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis of skin and internal organs. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of SSc fibrosis. We have previously identified CD109 as a novel TGF-β co-receptor that inhibits TGF-β signaling. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of CD...

INTRODUCTION A subgroup of patients with primary Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) and positive anticentromere antibodies (ACA) were recognized as having features intermediate between SS and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our goal was to describe this group clinically and serologically and define its tendency to evolve to full blown SSc. METHODS Among 535 patients with primary SS we identified 20 ACA positi...

OBJECTIVES To determine the distribution of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) genotypes at codon 10 (+869 polymorphism) and codon 25 (+915 polymorphism) in patients with scleroderma (SSc). Differences between diffuse and limited SSc (dSSc and lSSc) were also investigated. METHODS Patients with lSSc (n=89) and dSSc (n=63) were compared with 147 controls. DNA was isolated from periphe...

OBJECTIVE Endothelial dysfunction and vasculopathy of the small and large vessels are crucial pathogenic factors in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Accelerated atherosclerosis and impaired flow-mediated vasodilation have been described in SSc. We evaluated arterial stiffness in patients with SSc compared to healthy controls. METHODS Augmentation index (AI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the brach...