Systemic sclerosis & Raynaud's
RUNX1 is expressed in a subpopulation of dermal fibroblasts and is associated with disease severity of systemic sclerosis
Authors' conclusion
RUNX1 is associated with more severe SSc fibrosis and is associated with a subpopulation of dermal fibroblasts implicated in fibrosis.
Study context
- Population
- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) skin and dermal fibroblasts from multiple cohorts
Methodological detailsgene expression, genome-wide DNA methylation and single-cell RNA-seq analyses, siRNA, pharmacologic inhibition and CRISPR knockout in 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional fibroblast cultures
- Gene expression, genome-wide DNA methylation and single-cell RNA-seq analyses
- siRNA, pharmacologic inhibition and CRISPR knockout in 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional fibroblast cultures
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Severity of dermal fibrosis associated with RUNX1 expression levels in SSc skin (multiple cohorts)
- Hypomethylated CpG sites proximal to the RUNX1 gene, implicating a potential role in increased RUNX1 expression
- RUNX1 higher in fibroblast subpopulations enriched in SSc, believed to contribute to fibrosis (single-cell RNA-seq)
- RUNX1 CRISPR knockout reduced alpha smooth muscle actin expression
- RUNX1 inhibition reduced fibroblast activation, contraction, extracellular matrix components and proliferation rates, including SFRP4, LUM and COL1A1
Original publication
RUNX1 is expressed in a subpopulation of dermal fibroblasts and is associated with disease severity of systemic sclerosis. Ann Rheum Dis. Published 11 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →