[Updates in systemic sclerosis pathogenesis: Toward new therapeutic opportunities].

[Updates in systemic sclerosis pathogenesis: Toward new therapeutic opportunities]. Rev Med Interne. 2019 Jul 10;: Authors: Didier K, Robbins A, Antonicelli F, Pham BN, Giusti D, Servettaz A Abstract Systemic sclerosis is a rare connective tissue disease characterized by skin and several internal organ fibrosis, systemic vasculopathy and immune abnormalities. Even if fibroblasts and endothelial cells dysfunction, as well as lymphocytes and other immune cells implication are now well described, the exact origin and chronology of the disease pathogenesis remain unclear. Oxidative stress, influenced by genetic and environmental factors, seems to play a key role. Indeed, it seems to be implicated in the early phases of fibrosis development, vasculopathy and in immune tolerance abnormalities shared by all patients, although disease expression is heterogeneous. To date, no curative treatment is available. Even if immunosuppressive treatment or drugs acting on vascular system are proposed for some patients, overall, treatment efficiency remains modest. Only autologous hematopoietic stem cells transplantation, reserved for patients with severe or rapidly progressive fibrosis, has recently demonstrated efficiency, with lasting regression of fibrosis. Nevertheless, this treatment can expose to important, life-threatening toxicity. In the last decade, new mechanisms implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis have been unraveled, bring...
Source: Revue de Medecine Interne - Category: Internal Medicine Tags: Rev Med Interne Source Type: research