We seek to understand the immunopathological mechanisms involved in systemic sclerosis, with a particular focus on the interactions between autoantibodies, fibroblasts, and the extracellular matrix, and their contribution to disease persistence and heterogeneity.
The “Matrix Immunity, autoantibodies and ibrosis” group (Principal Investigators: L. Mouthon and C. Deligne) investigates the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying systemic sclerosis using patient-derived samples. Our research focuses specifically on the interplay between IgG autoantibodies, fibroblasts, and the extracellular matrix, with particular interest in how matrix components participate in the regulation of immune responses during fibrosis. To address these questions, we develop three-dimensional fibrotic spheroid models and implement integrated multi-omics approaches to characterize the molecular mechanisms involved in the disease, identify novel pathogenic pathways, and contribute to improved patient stratification. Through the Ile-de-France Reference Center for Rare Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, directed by Prof. L. Mouthon, this group has access to unique patient-derived samples and develops primary cell cultures from well-characterized patients with autoimmune and fibrotic diseases