Fibrocytes obtained from nine of the ten enrolled Scl70+ILD+ patients were characterized by a significant higher gene and protein expression of αSMA, S100A4, COL1, and FN compared to HS fibrocytes (gene: p < 0.05 for αSMA; p < 0.0001 for the other molecules; protein: p < 0.01 for αSMA and FN; p < 0.001 for S100A4 and COL1) (Fig. 2). Here, ACTA1 is linked to interstitial lung disease.