Figure 2

Lack of effect of systemic sclerosis sera on deposition of fibrillin-1 and microfibril-associated glycoprotein 1 by dermal lymphatic microvascular endothelial cells. Fibrillin-1 and microfibril-associated glycoprotein 1 (MAGP-1) deposition by dermal lymphatic microvascular endothelial cells (Ly-MVECs) was evaluated after challenge with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and healthy control (CTR) sera. (A) Representative immunofluorescent images for fibrillin-1 (green) and MAGP-1 (red). The two molecules colocalize and are deposited in thin, short strands, only rarely forming honeycombs. 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained nuclei are blue in merged images. Original magnification, ×40. (B) Quantification of fibrillin-1 deposition by measurement of optical density in arbitrary units (a.u.). Data are means ± SEM. No significant differences vs. healthy controls were found in any of the conditions assayed. CYC, cyclophosphamide; dSSc, diffuse SSc; lSSc, limited SSc.