A dose-dependent pattern of IL-8 protein levels was found in HMEC-1 cells on stimulation with 0.125 mg/ml to 1.5 mg/ml SSc-IgG, with the highest response between 0.5 and 1.5 mg/ml IgG (Figure 1A), that was not present with NC-IgG. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and systemic sclerosis.