The Autoimmune Basis of Alopecia Areata: A Comprehensive Review

October 2014 in “ Autoimmunity reviews ”

Naseeha Islam, Patrick S.C. Leung, Arthur C. Huntley, M. Eric Gershwin

alopecia areata autoimmune responses hair follicle CD8+ T-cells intralesional corticosteroids genetic predispositions environmental factors AA steroids

Studysummary This review discusses alopecia areata, highlighting its autoimmune aspects, environmental triggers, and current treatment options, but reports no new clinical results; recent studies suggest JAK pathway intervention may offer therapeutic potential. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a non-scarring hair loss disorder with a prevalence of 0.1%-0.2% worldwide, affecting individuals regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. The etiology of AA is not fully understood but is believed to involve genetic predispositions, environmental factors, and autoimmune responses, particularly the destruction of the hair follicle immune privilege site by CD8+ T-cells. Clinical features of AA vary widely, making diagnosis challenging. Treatment options are limited, with intralesional corticosteroids being relatively effective for mild cases, while severe forms remain difficult to treat. AA can cause significant psychological distress, and ongoing research aims to better understand and manage this condition.

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31 / 31 results

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This review examines the immunological aspects of alopecia areata, focusing on genetic, neuroimmunological, and immune privilege factors, but does not report new clinical findings.

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This study found that intron 3 VNTR polymorphism in the IL-4 gene may be associated with an increased risk of alopecia areata in the Turkish population.

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106 citations , January 2013 in “Clinical and Developmental Immunology”

This review discusses the pathogenesis of alopecia areata, highlighting the role of immune privilege collapse in hair follicles but reports no clinical results.

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This review discusses the causes, associated conditions, and treatment options for alopecia areata, such as corticosteroids and wigs, but reports no new clinical findings.

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This review highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the genetic mechanisms in alopecia areata to develop evidence-based treatments, but it provides no new experimental results.

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This study found that in an Italian population, the HLA-DQB1*03 allele was associated with increased susceptibility to alopecia areata, particularly in cases with more than 50% hair loss.

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This study found distinct gene expression profiles in alopecia areata-affected skin, suggesting T-cell mediated immune responses and unique gene profiles between different stages of the disease.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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151 citations , February 2007 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

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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.

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This review discusses the autoimmune nature of alopecia areata, potential therapeutic targets, and highlights the need for further studies on immunomodulatory treatments and genetic factors, but it reports no new clinical results.

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This study found that among an Asian population with alopecia areata, commonly first episodes occurred before age 40, with severe cases linked to psychological effects and treatments showing significant regrowth.

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178 citations , June 1994 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

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