title: Fresh Insights into Disease Etiology and the Role of Microbial Pathogens.
abstract: Pathogens have been implicated in the initiation and/or promotion of systemic sclerosis (scleroderma, SSc); however, no evidence was found to substantiate the direct contribution to this disease in past years. Recently, significant advances have been made in understanding the role of the innate immune system in SSc pathogenesis, supporting the idea that pathogens might interact with host innate immune-regulatory responses in SSc. In light of these findings, we review the studies that identified the presence of pathogens in SSc, along with studies on pathogens implicated in driving the innate immune dysregulation in SSc. The goal of this review is to illustrate how these pathogens, specifically viruses, may play important role both as triggers of the innate immune system, and critical players in the development of SSc disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza", University of Rome, Rome, Italy. antonella.farina@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.affiliation: Arthritis Center, Department of Rheumatology, Boston University, 72 East Concord Street, E501, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. farina@bu.edu.
authors.forename: G Alessandra
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Farina
mesh_terms: D015551:Autoimmunity; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000821:virology; D005355:Fibrosis; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
keywords: CMV; EBV; Fibrosis; Innate immunity; Scleroderma; Systemic sclerosis