Fig. 13

TGF-β1, Pro-collagenIα1 and IL-8 in fibroblasts pretreated with NFκB inhibitor and incubated with SSc-ICs or NHS-ICs. Fibroblasts pretreated with MG-132 (20 μmol), an NFκB inhibitor, and then exposed to SSc-ICs or NHS-ICs (1:2 dilution). LPS (1 μg/ml) and TGF-β1 (10 ng/ml) used as positive controls. Results expressed as percentage of inhibition of a TGF-β1, b Pro-CollagenIα1 and c IL-8 in untreated versus MG-132-treated cells. ***p < 0.0001 versus medium. ACA anti-centromeric protein antibodies, anti-Th/To anti-Th/To antibodies, ARA anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies, ATA anti-DNA topoisomerase I antibodies, IC immune complex, IL interleukin, LPS lipopolysaccharide, NFκB nuclear factor kappa B, NHS normal healthy subjects, TGF tumor growth factor