Induction of apoptosis and fibrillin 1 expression in human dermal endothelial cells by scleroderma sera containing anti–endothelial cell antibodies

Abstract

There are distinct AECA subsets in the sera of patients with limited SSc (with ACAs) and diffuse SSc (with anti-Scl-70) that induce unique patterns of HDEC gene expression in the setting of apoptosis associated with increased caspase 3 activity and the reexpression of endothelial cell fibrillin 1.