The results showed a potent and dose-dependent inhibition of the increased gene expression of the profibrotic extracellular matrix proteins COL1A2, COL3A1, FN1 and of the profibrotic growth factor CTGF/CCN2 and a marked reduction of the increased production of the corresponding proteins in cultured dermal SSc fibroblasts. Here, CCN2 is linked to systemic sclerosis.