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Fig. 4 | Arthritis Research & Therapy

Fig. 4

From: B cell depletion therapy upregulates Dkk-1 skin expression in patients with systemic sclerosis: association with enhanced resolution of skin fibrosis

Fig. 4

Rituximab (RTX) treatment correlates with significant attenuation of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) expression in the skin. TGFβ is strongly expressed in the vast majority of spindle-like cells at baseline (red arrows) (a, b). Following RTX treatment significant attenuation of TGFβ expression is seen; many spindle-like cells do not express TGFβ (blue arrows) (c, d). Streptavidin biotin peroxidase: magnification × 20 (a, c), × 400 (b, d). Downregulation of TGFβ expression is more pronounced in the subgroup of patients with upregulation of Dkk-1 following RTX treatment (Dkk+) compared to the subgroup of patients who did not have upregulation of Dkk-1 following RTX treatment (Dkk-) (e)

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