SSc  systemic sclerosis  SRC  scleroderma renal crisis  PAH  pulmonary arterial hypertension  SMR  standardized mortality ratio  DNMTs  DNA methyltransferases  SAM  S-adenosyl-methionine  5mC  5-methylcytosine  MBD  methyl-CpG-binding domain  Tet  ten–eleven translocation  HATs  histone acetyltransferases  HDACs  histone deacetylases  MiRNAs  microRNAs  MZ  monozygotic  DZ  dizygotic  MVECs  microvascular endothelial cells  FBs  fibroblasts  JAMs  junctional adhesion molecules  CTGF  connective tissue growth facto  TGF-β  transforming growth factor beta  CCN2  connective tissue growth factor  Fli1  Friend leukemia integration-1  TF  transcription factor  PECAM  platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule  PDGF  platelet derived growth factor  S1P1  sphingosin 1 phosphate  CXCL5  CXC chemokine ligand-5  BMPs  bone morphogenetic proteins  BMPRII  bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor  ET-1  endotheline-1  uPA  urokinase-type plasminogen activator  MBD  methyl-CpG-binding domain protein  ICAM  intercellular adhesion molecule  KLF5  Kruppel-like factor 5  Tregs  regulatory T cells  Runx1  Runt-related transcription factor 1  FOXP3  forkhead box protein 3 gene  ECM  extra cellular matrix  PDGF  platelet-derived growth factor  dSSc  diffuse systemic sclerosis  lSSc  limited systemic sclerosis  PCAF  protein-associated factor  Egr-1  early growth response 1  DDR2  discoidin domain receptor 2  TAB1  TGF-β activated kinase 1 binding protein 1  BAFF  B cell-activating factor  TSP-2  thrombospondin-2  MRTSS  Modified Rodnan total skin score  SDAI  Valentini scleroderma disease activity index  HC  healthy controls  SLE  systemic lupus erythematosus  SSD  scleroderma spectrum disorder  MTX  methylaminopterin  CYC  cyclophosphamide  MMF  mycophenolate mofetil  ACE  angiotensin converting enzyme  NO  nitric oxide  Systemic sclerosis  Epigenetic mechanisms  Biomarker  Therapy  

OS  osteosarcoma  PI3K  phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase  PTEN  phosphatase and tensin homolog  mTOR  mammalian target of rapamycin  RTKs  receptor tyrosine kinases  PDGFR  platelet-derived growth factor receptor  IGF1R  insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor  PIP2  phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate  PIP3  phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate  PDK1  phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1  PH  pleckstrin homology  CDK  cyclin-dependent kinase  NF-κB  nuclear factor-κB  MDM2  Murine double minute 2  Rb  retinoblastoma  CSCs  cancer stem cells  CXCR7  CXC chemokine receptor 7  GA  gallic acid  miRNAs  microRNAs  TNF  tumor necrosis factor  HIF-1  hypoxia-inducible factor-1  ET-1  endothelin-1  ETAR  endothelin A receptor  MMP  matrix metalloproteinase.  OS  PI3K  Akt  PTEN  mTOR  

IDD  intervertebral disk degeneration  IL-1  interleukin-1  IVD  intervertebral disk  ECM  extracellular matrix  LBP  low back pain  MMPs  matrix metalloproteinases  NP  nucleus pulposus  AF  annulus fibrosus  Col II  type II collagen  Col I  type I collagen  NTP  N-terminal peptide  NLS  nuclear localization sequence  IL-1RII  IL-1 receptor type II  TLRs  Toll-like receptors  IL-1RI  IL-1 receptor type I  IL-1RAcP  IL-1 receptor accessory protein  TIR  Toll-like/IL-1 receptor  MyD88  myeloid differentiation factor 88  TNF  tumor necrosis factor  NF-κB  nuclear factor-kappa B  MAPK  mitogen-activated protein kinase  IL-1Ra  IL-1 receptor antagonist  IFN-γ  interferon-γ  CCL  CC chemokine ligand  CXCL  CX chemokine ligand  ADAMTSs  a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs  TIMPs  tissues inhibitors of metalloproteinases  VEGF  vascular endothelial growth factor  NGF  nerve growth factor  BDNF  brain-derived neurotrophic factor  ROS  reactive oxygen species  SOD  superoxide dismutase  CAT  catalase  miRNAs  microRNAs  MSCs  mesenchymal stem cells  PRP  platelet-rich plasma  IL-1  IDD  Inflammatory responses  Angiogenesis  Apoptosis