A significant increase in serum levels of MMP-12 was detected in naïve SSc patients (2.70 ± 0.46 ng/ml) compared with controls (1.28 ± 0.36 ng/ml, p = 0.03) and CYC-treated SSc patients (1.34 ± 0.27 ng/ml, p = 0.01) (Fig 6D). This evidence concerns the gene MMP12 and systemic sclerosis.