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Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany)
04, 2024;102 (4): 465-478.

Emerging therapeutic targets in systemic sclerosis.

Steven O'Reilly
Author Information
  1. Steven O'Reilly: Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, UK. stevenoreilly@hotmail.com. ORCID
PMID: 38386070 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02424-w

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune connective tissue disease which is characterised by vascular perturbations, inflammation, and fibrosis. Although huge progress recently into the underlying molecular pathways that are perturbed in the disease, currently no therapy exists that targets the fibrosis element of the disease and consequently there is a huge unmet medical need. Emerging studies reveal new dimensions of complexity, and multiple aberrant pathways have been uncovered that have shed light on disturbed signalling in the disease, primarily in inflammatory pathways that can be targeted with repurposed drugs. Pre-clinical animal models using these inhibitors have yielded proof of concept for targeting these signalling systems and progressing to clinical trials. This review will examine the recent evidence of new perturbed pathways in SSc and how these can be targeted with new or repurposed drugs to target a currently intractable disease.

Keywords

Anifrolumab Riociguat Systemic sclerosis

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MeSH Term

Animals
Scleroderma, Systemic
Fibrosis
Autoimmune Diseases
Signal Transduction
Journal Article Review

Word Cloud

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