The genetics of scleroderma.

The importance of the genetic component in the pathogenesis of scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, has been strengthened in the past 2 years with studies on genetic markers-either candidate gene or genome-wide association studies--in large case-control series. Multiple genes have been consistently associated with susceptibility to scleroderma, and interestingly, several of them are involved in immune regulation. Because many of these genes are shared with other autoimmune diseases, a common underlying autoimmune mechanism has been proposed. The challenge that lies ahead is to confirm these associations and to find markers or pathways that are unique to scleroderma and that may define its distinctive phenotype.