Thus several molecular functions repressed in CECs of scleroderma patients, were restored after iloprost infusion as shown by the over-expression of antiapoptotic genes (RASA1, PRKAA1 and BNIP3) and of the transcripts encoding for adhesion molecules (ICAM1, ITGA3, ITGA9), chemokines and wound healing process (EREG, CTGF). Here, ITGA9 is linked to scleroderma.