CD4 and systemic sclerosis: First, we have demonstrated that ASCs of SLE and SSc patients exert a similar inhibitory effect to HD/ASCs on the number of proliferating CD8+ and/or CD4+ T-cells, proliferation index, and replication index of CD8+ and/or CD4+ T-cells, irrespective of whether co-cultured with activated PBMCs or purified CD4+ T-cells (Figures 1, 2, respectively).