Check out the latest research updates from the wider community from this month. While we didn’t fund these projects, we’re encouraged to see a continued focus on understanding scleroderma.
CD13 levels elevated in scleroderma, but biomarker value unclear
SRF-funded investigator Dinesh Khanna, MD, MSc, co-authored this study examining soluble CD13, a protein in the blood, as a possible biomarker for scleroderma. The research team found that the protein was often elevated but did not reliably reflect disease severity.
BTX Injections Are an Adjunctive Therapy Option for Refractory Digital Ischemia
Botulinum toxin (BTX) injections are a safe and effective adjunct therapy for refractory digital ischemia in patients with systemic sclerosis, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Dermatology.
Type of immune cell may be key driver of scleroderma scarring: Study
Macrophages, a type of immune cell, may be mainly responsible for driving fibrosis, or scarring, in people with scleroderma, according to new research done in animal models.
New lab findings support development of stem cell treatments for SSc-ILD
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) —a type of regulatory cell found in various tissues —work to reduce lung scarring in systemic sclerosis (SSc) by suppressing the growth of certain immune T-cells that carry the PD-1 receptor, according to a new study.
