CASP3 and systemic sclerosis: Kim et al. demonstrated that LL-37 expression was enhanced in SSc fibroblast, as compared with healthy controls, and that LL-37 inhibited SSc fibroblasts from sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced apoptosis through modulation of Bcl-2, as well as activation of caspase-3, COX-2, and the ERK pathway.