The PDE4 Inhibitor, Apremilast, Suppresses Experimentally Induced Alopecia Areata in Human Skin In Vivo

The study investigated the effects of apremilast, a PDE4 inhibitor, on alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disease characterized by hair loss. The research utilized a humanized mouse model, where human scalp skin was grafted onto SCID mice, and AA was induced by transferring activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The study found that apremilast effectively suppressed AA in this model. The disease was associated with the interaction of CD8+/NKG2D+ CD4+ cells and genes coding for NKG2D ligands like MICA and ULBP3. This research suggested that targeting PDE4 with apremilast could be a potential therapeutic approach for managing AA.