In a recent study evaluating chromatin accessibility patterns and transcription factor footprints in SSc MVECs, chromatin availability was found to be significantly reduced in SSc patients compared to healthy controls, particularly at the level of neuronal genes including NRXN1, while the chromatin binding of the ETV2 transcription factor (essential for vascular development) was found to be increased [66]. Here, NRXN1 is linked to systemic sclerosis.