CCN2 and interstitial lung disease: Moreover, Mendoza et al. [101] have reported that the CD31+/CD102+ endothelial cells obtained from lung tissues of SSc patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) expressed high levels of MSC specific genes (COL-I, COL-III, and fibronectin), EC-specific genes (COL-IV and vascular endothelial cadherin), pro-fibrotic genes (TGF-β and CTGF), and genes encoding transcription factors for the transition from endothelial-to-mesenchymal cells (EndoMT), as well as the related transcription factors, TWIST1 and SNAI2.