Since the spectrum of scleroderma can range from very minimal involvement (LS) to extensive fibrosis (dcSSc), it was of interest to compare the effect of supernatants from the culture of PBMC from patients with LS to supernatants from the culture of PBMC from patients with dcSSc on MMP-1 production by SSc fibroblasts. This evidence concerns the gene MMP1 and systemic sclerosis.