TLDR The conditions alopecia areata, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and ulcerative colitis may be linked by shared autoimmune and cell death mechanisms.
In the 2007 study, a 37-year-old man with alopecia areata and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) developed ulcerative colitis (UC) after two years, suggesting a shared pathogenetic mechanism involving autoimmunity and apoptosis among these conditions. Despite treatment, the patient's alopecia areata persisted, and his liver enzyme levels were consistently high. The onset of bloody diarrhea led to a UC diagnosis confirmed by colonoscopy and histology. The study highlighted the potential role of T lymphocytes, cytokines, and apoptosis in the pathogenesis of these autoimmune disorders, proposing that T lymphocyte resistance to apoptosis might contribute to their development. The authors emphasized the need for further research to elucidate the connections between these diseases.
23 citations,
June 2003 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings” Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease affecting hair follicles, influenced by genetic and environmental factors, with rodent models being essential for research.
19 citations,
March 2003 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Mechlorethamine treatment regrew hair in mice by killing immune cells causing hair loss without harming hair follicles.
127 citations,
January 2000 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Cytotoxic T cells cause hair loss in chronic alopecia areata.
23 citations,
April 1993 in “Gastroenterology” A mother and son both had ulcerative colitis and alopecia, suggesting a genetic link in autoimmune disorders and successful treatment with cyclosporine.
8 citations,
January 2018 in “Middle East Journal of Digestive Diseases” A man with complete hair loss and ulcerative colitis regrew hair after treatment with azathioprine.
60 citations,
September 2015 in “Expert Review of Clinical Immunology” Lymphocytes, especially CD8+ T cells, play a key role in causing alopecia areata, and targeting them may lead to new treatments.
82 citations,
March 2016 in “Autoimmunity reviews” Animal models have helped understand hair loss from alopecia areata and find new treatments.
148 citations,
December 2018 in “Journal of autoimmunity” Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.
56 citations,
October 2016 in “Journal of dermatological science” New insights into the causes and treatments for the autoimmune hair loss condition Alopecia areata have been made.
