Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor as a Key Regulator of Immune Privilege

The study identifies the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a crucial regulator of immune privilege in hair follicle stem cells. Using mouse models with hair follicle-specific EGFR deletion, researchers observed that inhibiting EGFR leads to chronic skin inflammation and alopecia, characterized by a proliferative burst and subsequent loss of hair follicle stem cells. This inflammation is linked to the upregulation of antigen presentation machinery and proteasome pathways, indicating a loss of immune privilege. The findings suggest that EGFR plays a key role in maintaining hair follicle stem cell quiescence and immune privilege, offering potential targets for improving anti-cancer therapies that involve EGFR/ERK inhibitors.