Epigenetic drugs that have shown promise in cancer trials significantly reduce scarring in the cells of patients with scleroderma, an incurable and life-threatening autoimmune disease, a new study shows.
Scleroderma is a chronic disease that affects the immune system, causing a buildup of scar-like tissues in the skin and internal organs known as fibrosis. This process occurs when cells that make up connective tissue, called fibroblasts, produce too much collagen that causes the skin and organs of patients to harden — resulting in tissue damage and organ failure.
