αSMA	alpha smooth muscle actin
ACR	American College of Radiologists
BCR	B cell receptor
BP	Binding protein
CCL21	C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 21
CCR7	C-C Motif chemokine Receptor 7
CT	Cycle threshold
DLCO	Diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide
DMEM	Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium
DMSO	Dimethyl sulfoxide
DTT	Dithiothreitol
Echo	Echocardiography
EDN1	Gene symbol of endothelin 1
EDTA	Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
EndMT	Endothelial mesenchymal transition
ET-1	Endothelin 1
EULAR	European League Against Rheumatism
Fev1	Forced expiratory volume in one second
Fvc	Forced vital capacity
GO	Gene ontology
h	Hour
hsa	Homo sapiens
IgG	Immunoglobulin G
IL	Interleukin
IRF4	Interferon Regulatory Factor 4
miRNA, miR	microRNA
PAH	Pulmonary arterial hypertension
PBS	Phosphate Buffered Saline
PVDF	membrane: Poly(vinylidene fluoride)
SSc	Systemic sclerosis
SSc-noPAH	SSc patients without PAH
SSc-PAH	SSc patients with PAH
SSc-susPAH	SSc patients suspected to develop PAH
qRT-PCR	Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction
rs	Spearman’s Rank calculation
RT cDNA	Reverse transcription complementary DNA
SDS	Sodium dodecyl sulfate
TGF-β	Transforming growth factor beta
Tris	Tris(Hydroxymethyl)aminomethane
WBCs	White blood cells