en Cell Biology Cell Biology Original Article Original Article <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="color:black">Systemic sclerosis<i> </i>(SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease<b>, </b><span class="fontstyle01"><span style="color:#005bab"><span style="font-weight:bold"><span style="font-style:normal"><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="color:black"><span style="font-weight:normal">featuring fibrosis in multiple organs. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span>The serum from SSc patients contain inflammatory mediators, contributing to SSc pathogenesis and could be used to develop cell culture </span>models. Here, we compared the fibrotic effects of serum samples from SSc patients with <i>TGF&beta;1 </i>on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). HDF cells were cultured in four different culture media supplementations; 10% SSc serum, 10% healthy human serum, 10% fetal bovine serum &nbsp;or 10% FBS supplemented with 10 ng/ml human TGF&beta;. The collagen content in cell layers was measured by spectrophotometric Picro-Sirius red staining. The mRNA expression of <i>&alpha;-SMA</i>, <i>COL I </i>and <i>III</i>, <i>TGF&beta;1</i>, arginase and E-Cadherin genes were determined by real time RT-PCR. TGF-&beta;1 levels in cell culture supernatants were measured using ELISA. Cell layer collagen content was significantly increased following TGF-&beta;1 treatment,</span> <span style="line-height:200%">compared with FBS group and SSc serum treatment in comparison with healthy controls. Although not statistically significant, the mRNA expression of &alpha;-SMA, <i>COLI</i> and <i>III</i>, <i>TGF&beta;1</i>, and arginase increased upon TGF-&beta;1 treatment</span> <span style="line-height:200%">in comparison with FBS group, and in SSc serum treatment group in comparison with healthy controls. E-Cadherin decreased following TGF-&beta;1 treatment</span> <span style="line-height:200%">and SSc serum treatment in comparison with their counterparts. TGF-&beta;1 levels increased in cell culture supernatants of HDF cells exposed to TGF-&beta;1 and SSc serum. An <i>in vitro</i> model of SSc serum-induced fibrosis using human HDF cells was evaluated in comparison to the TGF-&beta;1 fibrosis induced model and data suggested that it may be used in documenting the role of pro-fibrotic factors in serum or plasma from SSc patients.</span></span></span></span><br> <br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span style="tab-stops:45.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:200%"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:black"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> Fibrosis, human dermal fibroblast, systemic sclerosis, autoimmune disease, TGF-β 31 40 http://ijmcmed.org/browse.php?a_code=A-10-905-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Elnaz Dadashzadeh e.dadashzadeh73@yahoo.com 100319475328460026113 100319475328460026113 No Stem Cell Research center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. Marie Saghaeian Jazi marie.saghaeian@goums.ac.ir 100319475328460026114 100319475328460026114 No Stem Cell Research center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. Nafiseh Abdolahi n_abdolahi2002@yahoo.com 100319475328460026115 100319475328460026115 No Golestan Rheumatology Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. Saeed Mohammadi s.mohammadi@goums.ac.ir 100319475328460026116 100319475328460026116 Yes Stem Cell Research center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. Mohsen Saeidi m.saeedi50@gmail.com 100319475328460026117 100319475328460026117 No Department of Medical Immunology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.