Up‐regulation of class II major histocompatibility complex and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 expression on scleroderma fibroblasts and endothelial cells by interferon‐γ and tumor necrosis factor α in the early disease stage

Abstract

These data suggest that class II MHC antigens and ICAM-1 on fibroblasts and endothelial cells are induced by IFN gamma and TNF alpha in an early stage of SSc after the influx of mononuclear-cells, and may be important in the putative autoimmune response and in the perpetuation of fibrotic processes in SSc.