EDN1 and systemic sclerosis: Finally, specific circulating SSc autoantibodies embedded in immune complexes were found to exert proinflammatory and/or profibrotic effects on HUVECs by modulating the expression of several molecules involved in vascular impairment (ET-1 and IL-8), inflammation (intercellular adhesion molecule-1, IL-6), and fibrosis (TGF-β1) [51].