STAT3 and systemic sclerosis: Upon the same pro-oxidant conditions, SSc fibroblasts showed a much greater response in all markers analyzed, with a 320% increase in p-STAT3/STAT3 (3.2 ± 0.2, p < 0.05) and 340% increase in p-AKT/AKT (3.4 ± 0.3, p < 0.05).