title: Apoptosis modulation as a promising target for treatment of systemic sclerosis.
abstract: Diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a fatal autoimmune disease characterized by an excessive ECM deposition inducing a loss of function of skin and internal organs. Apoptosis is a key mechanism involved in all the stages of the disease: vascular damage, immune dysfunction, and fibrosis. The purpose of this paper is to gather new findings in apoptosis related to SSc, to highlight relations between apoptosis and fibrosis, and to identify new therapeutic targets.
authors.affiliation: Centre LOEX de l'Université Laval, Génie Tissulaire et Régénération, LOEX-Centre de Recherche FRSQ du Centre Hospitalier Affilié Universitaire de Québec, Quebec City, QC, Canada G1J 1Z4.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chabaud
authors.forename: Véronique J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Moulin