Although the 90% decrease of PLXB1 and 58% increase of PTX3 mRNA in SSc-MVECs (Table 1) were not demonstrable by differential immuno-staining of endothelial cells in tissue biopsies, the differential protein expression and their functional import were evident by western blotting and in vitro angiogenesis assays. The gene discussed is PTX3; the disease is systemic sclerosis.