Chemokines in systemic sclerosis

- Damaged and activated cells in the disease microenvironment release chemokines and other chemo-attractants.
- Innate and adaptive immune cells migrate into the evolving lesions leading to an immune- fibrotic pathology.
- Progenitor cells and other fibroblast precursors also recruited into the sites of fibrosis.
- Antagonists of chemokines may benefit by reducing cellular recruitment and preventing the immune-fibrotic interaction.