title: The crowded crossroad to angiogenesis in systemic sclerosis: where is the key to the problem?
abstract: In systemic sclerosis (SSc), peripheral vasculopathy is characterized by a progressive and irreversible loss of capillaries following endothelial cell injury, due to defects in both vascular repair and expected increase in new vessel growth (angiogenesis). The discovery of key molecular targets may help to develop the most effective therapeutic strategy for the SSc-related vasculopathy. A pathway worth targeting in SSc may include vascular endothelial growth factor, 165b isoform, an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor abnormally expressed and released by different cell types, including activated endothelial cells and platelets.
authors: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy. mirkomanetti@yahoo.it.
authors: Mirko
authors: M
authors: Manetti
authors: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, 50139, Florence, Italy. s.guiducci@hotmail.com.
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Guiducci
authors: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, 50139, Florence, Italy. marco.matuccicerinic@unifi.it.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Matucci-Cerinic
mesh_terms: D002196:Capillaries; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A