NKX2-5 is a homeobox transcription factor required for the formation of the heart and vessels during development, with significant postnatal downregulation and reactivation in disease states characterised by vascular remodelling. In this study, we sought to investigate mechanisms that activate NKX2-5 expression in diseased vessels, such as scleroderma associated pulmonary hypertension (SSc-PH), and identify genetic variability that potentially underlies susceptibility to specific vascular complications.