OBJECTIVE: To assess endothelial cell activation in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Concomitant study of salivary gland biopsy tissues and sera for expression of E-selectin and its potent activator tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), using immunostaining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent essay. RESULTS: E-selectin was overexpressed in SSc patients, but not in controls. TNF alpha was detected in mast cells. CONCLUSION: Mast cell-derived TNF alpha may contribute to endothelial cell activation in SSc.
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Hebbar et al. (1995) studied this question.
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