Fig. 14.

TGF-β1, Pro-collagenIα1, IL-8 and IL-6 in fibroblasts pretreated with p38MAPK inhibitor and incubated with SSc-ICs or NHS-ICs. Fibroblasts pretreated with SB202190 (20 μmol), a p38MAPK 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, c IL-8 and d IL-6 in untreated versus SB202190-treated cells. *p < 0.01, **p < 0.001, ***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, NHS normal healthy subjects, MAPK p38 mitogen activated kinase, TGF tumor growth factor