Patients selected for the presence of sclerodermarelated antibodies (anti-DNA-topoisomerase I [antitop0 I; n = 431, anticentromere antibody [ACA; n = 631, or anti-Pm-Scl [n = 121) were studied for class I and class I1 major histocompatibility complex antigens, as well as for Gm and Km allotypes.

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Vitamin A and several other retinoids were added to fibroblast cultures in order to study possible alterations in biochemical properties and cellular responsiveness. The proliferation of cells was inhibited as the concentration of retinoids increased from 10(-9) to 10(-5) mol/l. Synthesis of non-collagenous proteins and production of both type I and type III collagen were decreased. The onset of type III collagen synthesis by tendon fibroblasts in culture was delayed. Furthermore, the chemotactic response of fibroblasts to fibroblast-conditioned medium was markedly reduced in the presence of retinoids (10(-6) to 10(-12) mol/l).