Collectively, these results suggest that endothelial CCN1 downregulation at least partially due to Fli1 deficiency may contribute to the development of digital ulcers in SSc patients.
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a cytokine of the family of growth regulators comprising sef10, cyr61, CTGF and nov, has recently been described in association with scleroderma and other scarring conditions.