Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a pro-fibrotic condition with a poorly understood aetiology. Evidence presented by Artlett et al. in this issue suggests that the microRNA miR-155 is key, with its involvement dependent on the NLRP3 inflammasome. This links epigenetic events with inflammasome signalling in SSc and opens the door to new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of SSc.
Keywords: Caspase-1; Epigenetics; Fibrosis; Inflammasome; Interleukin-1; MCC950; Sclerosis; microRNA.