In the present paper, we analyzed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes in primary cells grown from DD patients and found that TGF-β1 induced p38 phosphorylation in ND cells grown from macroscopically unaffected palmar fascia adjacent to diseased tissue from DD patients is accompanied by activation of the cytokine genes CCL-11 and IL-6 and secretion of extracellular matrix regulatory proteins PAI-1 and TIMP-1, which casts new light on pathogenesis of DD. The gene discussed is SERPINE1; the disease is dentin dysplasia.