The LncRNA HOTAIR/EZH2 Interaction Inhibitor AC1Q3QWB (AQB) Attenuates Fibrotic SSc Skin Tissue Remodeling

    June 2026 in “ bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) ”
    Christopher W. Wasson, Panji Mulipa, Sophie Dibb, Esther Perez Barreiro, Rebecca L Ross, Francesco Del Galdo, Natalia A. Riobo‐Del Galdo
    TLDR AQB reduces harmful skin changes in systemic sclerosis.
    The study investigates the effects of the HOTAIR/EZH2 interaction inhibitor AC1Q3QWB (AQB) on fibrotic skin tissue remodeling in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The research demonstrates that AQB effectively inhibits pro-fibrotic gene expression in HOTAIR-expressing dermal fibroblasts and SSc patient fibroblasts, without affecting healthy fibroblasts. The study highlights that SSc patient skin exhibits high levels of keratin 9 and EMT markers, which are mediated by SSc dermal fibroblasts. Inhibiting the HOTAIR/EZH2 interaction with AQB disrupts this tissue remodeling, suggesting a potential novel therapeutic intervention for SSc.
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