Fig. 12.

Confirmation of efficacy of NFκB and p38MAPK inhibitors by western blot analysis. Cells preincubated for 1 h at 37 °C with inhibitors of NFκB and p38MAPK. Fibroblasts exposed to SSc-ICs or NHS-ICs (1:2 dilution). LPS (1 μg/ml) used as control. Results expressed as percentage of inhibition of activated (a) NFκB and (b) p38MAPK (expressed as ratio of phosphorylated to nonphosphorylated forms). *p < 0.01, **p < 0.001 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, LPS lipopolysaccharide, NFκB nuclear factor kappa B, NHS normal healthy subjects, MAPK mitogen activated kinase, pp38MAPK phosphorylated p38MAPK