Consequently, we speculate that there may be an imbalance between IL-6+ Beffs and IL-10+ Bregs in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis and that directly acting on fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells, or indirectly inducing Th17 cells to play a pathogenic role, could be involved in inflammation, abnormal immunity, vasculopathy and fibrosis (Fig. 1). This evidence concerns the gene IL10 and systemic sclerosis.