Lysophosphatidic acid-activated Cl− current activity in human systemic sclerosis skin fibroblasts

摘要

Objectives. SSc (scleroderma) is an often fatal disease characterized by widespread tissue fibrosis. Fibroblasts play a key role in SSc-associated fibrosis. This study was designed to determine: (i) whether fibroblasts isolated from skin of patients with SSc have increased lysophosphatidic acid-activated Cl− current (ICl_LPA) activity vs healthy controls; (ii) whether myofibroblast differentiation is involved in SSc skin fibrosis; and (iii) whether SSc fibroblasts have different proliferation rates vs controls.