Alopecia Areata: An Autoimmune Disease Causing Hair Loss

April 2012 in “ The New England Journal of Medicine ”

Amos Gilhar, Amos Etzioni, Ralf Paus

Alopecia Areata autoimmune disease hair loss T-cell-mediated attack hair follicle skin biopsy immunosuppressive strategies immune-deviation strategies oral prednisolone intravenous methylprednisolone topical treatments minoxidil genetic aspects immunopathological aspects CD8+ T cells immune privilege NKG2D-mediated signaling Rogaine

From the encyclopedia

Alopecia Areata →

autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Studysummary Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition causing hair loss with no cure and treatments that often don't work well.

Automatically generated from the study's abstract, not written by a person, and not a review of the full paper. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Read the original study, and consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

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Research cited in this study

32 / 32 results

research Can the Hair Follicle Become a Model for Studying Selected Aspects of Human Ocular Immune Privilege?

21 citations , June 2011 in “Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science”

This article argues that human scalp hair follicles could serve as a surrogate model for studying immune privilege in the human eye, offering a novel approach for ocular IP research.

research Histopathology of Alopecia Areata, Acute and Chronic: Why Is It Important to the Clinician?

43 citations , May 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This article discusses the phases and histological features of alopecia areata and reports no new clinical findings; the authors emphasize recognizing these phases for accurate diagnosis.

research Alopecia Areata: Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Unusual Cases

109 citations , May 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy”

This article reviews the characteristics, associations, and diagnostic criteria for alopecia areata and reports no new clinical findings; the authors note the disease's unpredictable course and variable prognosis.

research The Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE), Defective in Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy-Candidiasis-Ectodermal Dystrophy Patients, Is Expressed in Human Epidermal and Follicular Keratinocytes and Associates With the Intermediate Filament Protein Cytokeratin 17

24 citations , February 2011 in “The American journal of pathology”

This study found that AIRE, a usually nuclear protein, is expressed in the cytoplasm of human epidermal and follicular keratinocytes and associates with the intermediate filament protein cytokeratin 17, potentially impacting ectodermal abnormalities in APECED syndrome.

research The Cell Biology of Human Hair Follicle Pigmentation

127 citations , November 2010 in “Pigment cell & melanoma research”

This article discusses the challenges in hair follicle pigmentation research compared to epidermal melanocytes and highlights the limitations of relying on mouse models, but reports no new experimental findings.

research The Pathogenesis of Primary Cicatricial Alopecias

150 citations , October 2010 in “The American Journal of Pathology”

This review discusses the pathogenesis and challenges in treating primary cicatricial alopecia, highlighting the need to understand immune protection collapse in hair follicle stem cells; it reports no new clinical results.

research Genome-Wide Association Study in Alopecia Areata Implicates Both Innate and Adaptive Immunity

717 citations , June 2010 in “Nature”

This study identified key genetic regions associated with alopecia areata, highlighting both acquired and innate immune involvement, with a novel link to the upregulation of ULBP ligands in autoimmune disease.

research Alopecia Areata as Another Immune-Mediated Disease Developed in Patients Treated with Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Blocker Agents

61 citations , June 2010 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology”

This study highlights cases of alopecia areata that developed during anti-TNF-α therapy, suggesting a potential link or increased frequency, particularly among individuals with a personal or family history of autoimmune diseases.

research Alopecia Areata Update

244 citations , January 2010 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This review discusses treatment options for alopecia areata and suggests tailored treatment plans, noting the challenges posed by spontaneous remission and limited high-quality clinical trials.

research Alopecia Areata Update

391 citations , January 2010 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This article reviews the clinical presentation and histopathologic features of alopecia areata and proposes a hypothesis for its development, but it reports no new clinical results.

research Neuroendocrine Perspectives in Alopecia Areata: Does Stress Play a Role?

69 citations , May 2009 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This research highlights that psychological stress can adversely affect hair growth in mice, implicating potential pathways that may be relevant in understanding stress-induced hair growth inhibition in humans.

research Treatment Strategies for Alopecia

34 citations , April 2009 in “Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy”

This review discusses evidence-based treatments for common hair loss forms, noting robust support for androgenetic alopecia therapies but limited long-term data and fewer high-quality studies for alopecia areata and cicatricial alopecias.

research Alopecia Areata: Evidence-Based Treatments

71 citations , March 2009 in “Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery”

This review discusses evidence for alopecia areata treatments, highlighting their ability to stimulate hair growth but noting limited data on long-term efficacy and impact on quality of life.

research The Hair Follicle as a Dynamic Mini-Organ

759 citations , February 2009 in “Current Biology”

This review summarizes fundamental concepts and recent advancements in hair follicle biology, including insights from mouse models into broader molecular and cellular processes relevant to regeneration and development.

research The C3H/HeJ Mouse and DEBR Rat Models for Alopecia Areata: Review of Preclinical Drug Screening Approaches and Results

59 citations , September 2008 in “Experimental dermatology”

This study reports that C3H/HeJ mice and DEBR rats serve as effective models for screening potential treatments for human alopecia areata, despite certain challenges in predictability and cost.

research The Role of Scalp Dermoscopy in the Diagnosis of Alopecia Areata Incognita

150 citations , April 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study found that videodermoscopy reveals distinct dermoscopic features in patients with alopecia areata incognita, aiding in biopsy decisions by identifying the appropriate sampling area and potentially avoiding unnecessary procedures.

research Maintenance of Hair Follicle Immune Privilege Is Linked to Prevention of NK Cell Attack

253 citations , December 2007 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This study suggests that human hair follicles may actively suppress natural killer cells, which contrasts with the observed defects in NK cell regulation in alopecia areata.

research Probing the Effects of Stress Mediators on the Human Hair Follicle

159 citations , November 2007 in “American Journal of Pathology”

In this study, researchers found that substance P triggered premature catagen development and immune changes in human scalp hair follicles, providing a possible biological link between stress and hair loss conditions like telogen effluvium and alopecia areata.

research Lymphocytes, Neuropeptides, And Genes Involved In Alopecia Areata

286 citations , August 2007 in “Journal of Clinical Investigation”

This review examines the interplay of genetics and neuroimmunology in alopecia areata, highlighting its potential to inform broader autoimmunity research, but reports no new findings.

research Alopecia in the United States: Outpatient Utilization and Common Prescribing Patterns

46 citations , July 2007 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This letter discusses the psychological impact of alopecia areata, highlighting its association with increased depression and anxiety, but reports no new clinical findings.

research Genomewide Scan for Linkage Reveals Evidence of Several Susceptibility Loci for Alopecia Areata

143 citations , January 2007 in “The American Journal of Human Genetics”

This study identified four genetic loci on chromosomes 6, 10, 16, and 18 that may contribute to susceptibility for alopecia areata and suggested shared genetic factors with psoriasis.

research Placebo-Controlled Oral Pulse Prednisolone Therapy in Alopecia Areata

141 citations , February 2005 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

In this study, oral prednisolone pulse therapy led to significant hair regrowth in some patients with extensive alopecia areata, whereas no improvement was seen in the placebo group.

research Characterization of Hair Follicle Antigens Targeted by the Anti-Hair Follicle Immune Response

148 citations , September 2003 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings”

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder causing hair loss, linked to specific hair follicle antigens and genetic factors.

research Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Under Occlusion in the Treatment of Alopecia Totalis/Universalis

146 citations , July 2003 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

In this study, clobetasol propionate 0.05% ointment was found to induce hair regrowth in 28.5% of patients with severe alopecia areata under occlusive conditions, though long-term benefit was limited to 17.8%.

research Persistent Depigmented Regrowth After Alopecia Areata

23 citations , April 2002 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This case report describes persistent depigmented hair regrowth from an alopecia areata patch, challenging the previous assumption that such regrowth is only temporary.

research Alopecia Areata During Interferon Alpha-2b and Ribavirin Therapy

35 citations , January 2002 in “Dermatology”

This article discusses alopecia areata occurring during Interferon Alpha-2b/Ribavirin therapy and reports no new clinical results.

research Role of Cytotoxic T Cells in Chronic Alopecia Areata

127 citations , January 2000 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This study found that pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptotic mechanisms, specifically involving granzyme B and Fas pathways, are associated with chronic alopecia areata, indicating their potential role in the disease's persistence.

research The Biology of Hair Follicles

1113 citations , August 1999 in “The New England Journal of Medicine”

This article discusses the biologic and psychosocial significance of hair, the current limitations in hair growth drugs, and anticipates future therapies based on advancing hair follicle research.

Alopecia Areata But Not Androgenetic Alopecia Is Characterized By A Restricted And Oligoclonal T-Cell Receptor-Repertoire Among Infiltrating Lymphocytes

research Alopecia Areata But Not Androgenetic Alopecia Is Characterized By A Restricted And Oligoclonal T-Cell Receptor-Repertoire Among Infiltrating Lymphocytes

19 citations , March 1997 in “Journal of Cutaneous Pathology”

This study observed that patients with alopecia areata often have a T-cell receptor repertoire in skin lesions that suggests a specific antigen-driven immune response may be important in the disease's pathogenesis.

research Failure of Passive Transfer of Serum From Patients With Alopecia Areata and Alopecia Universalis to Inhibit Hair Growth in Transplants of Human Scalp Skin Grafted Onto Nude Mice

60 citations , February 1992 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

In this study, serum from patients with alopecia areata or universalis did not affect hair growth in transplanted scalp skin grafts on nude mice, despite increased deposition of immunoreactants.

research Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Evaluation of Topical Minoxidil in Extensive Alopecia Areata

104 citations , March 1987 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Minoxidil helps hair growth in 63.6% of alopecia patients, with 27.3% having excellent results.

research Topical Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

80 citations , October 1983 in “BMJ”

This study found that 1% topical minoxidil induced significant hair regrowth in patients with alopecia areata, though it was less effective for those with extensive hair loss such as alopecia totalis and universalis.