VEGFA and systemic sclerosis: After 15 min of VEGF administration, the mRNA Cav-1 levels markedly increased in both SSc- and HC-MSCs (Cav-1 mRNA levels: 1.34 (range, 1.02 to 1.56) in lSSc-MSCs and 1.46 (range, 1.23 to 1.56) in dSSc-MSC, both vs. 2.04 (range, 1.70 to 2.13) in HC-MSCs, P <0.0001 and P = 0.0007, respectively) (Figure 1B).