(a) Increased COMP mRNA expression in dcSSc and LE skin compared to control skin. (b and c) COMP and PAI-1 mRNA expression by dermal fibroblasts from dcSSc (
) and control (△) subjects treated with TLR agonists (as in Fig. 1), IFN α/β, IFNγ or TGFβ. (b and c) COMP and PAI-1 expression show significant induction with agonists of TLR2 (p<0.05), TLR3/Poly(I:C) (p<0.05), and TGFβ, (p<0.001). (d) mRNA expression of TLR3 mRNA expression in lesional (SSc L; 1.5-fold increase, p=ns), in non-lesional skin (SSc N/L; 0.92-fold increase, p=ns) from dcSSc patients compared to control skin (n=6). (e) Increased TLR3 mRNA expression by dermal fibroblasts from control (△) and dcSSc (
) subjects cultured as in Fig. 2: TLR2 agonist (17.1 fold-increase, p<0.05); TLR3 agonist (86.9 fold-increase, p<0.00001); IFNα (56.1 fold-increase, p<0.00001); IFNβ (39.5 fold-increase, p<0.00001); and IFNγ (13.8 fold-increase, p<0.01). (f) Immunohistochemical staining with anti-TLR3 (left panel) and control Ig (right panel) in dcSSc skin.