The expression of FN1 and ACTA2 (α-SMA), other profibrotic genes such as TGFB1 and CTGF, and that of several EndoMT-related genes such as SNAI2 and TWIST was also substantially increased in the CD31+/CD102+ EC from the lungs of SSc patients. The gene discussed is PECAM1; the disease is systemic sclerosis.