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Possible strategies for anti-fibrotic drug intervention in scleroderma

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Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling Aims and scope

Abstract

There are no approved drugs for treating the fibrosis in scleroderma (systemic sclerosis, SSc). Myfibroblasts within connective tissue express the highly contractile protein α–smooth muscle actin (α–SMA) and are responsible for the excessive synthesis and remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) characterizing SSc. Drugs targeting myofibroblast differentiation, recruitment and activity are currently under consideration as anti-fibrotic treatments in SSc but thus far have principally focused on the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), endothelin-1 (ET-1), connective tissue growth factor (CCN2/CTGF) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) pathways, which display substantial signaling crosstalk. Moreover, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ also appears to act by intervening in TGFβ signaling. This review discusses these potential candidates for antifibrotic therapy in SSc.

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Acknowledgements

AL is supported by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Ontario Thoracic Society and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, is a member of the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group New Emerging Team and is an Arthritis Society (Scleroderma Society of Ontario) New Investigator.

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  1. Division of Oral Biology, Department of Dentistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, Dental Sciences Building, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada

    Andrew Leask

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Leask, A. Possible strategies for anti-fibrotic drug intervention in scleroderma. J. Cell Commun. Signal. 5, 125–129 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12079-011-0122-6

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