Understanding Autoimmunity of Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata

May 2016 in “ Current opinion in pediatrics, with evaluated MEDLINE/Current opinion in pediatrics ”

Jillian F. Rork, Mehdi Rashighi, John E. Harris

alopecia areata vitiligo reactive oxygen species cellular stress innate immune response adaptive immunity interferon gamma IFNγ chemokines cytotoxic CD8 T cells pathogenesis treatment strategies clinical studies ROS immune response CD8 T cells treatment

Studysummary This review identifies shared interferon gamma-driven immune pathways in vitiligo and alopecia areata, revealing potential targets for new treatments, but reports no clinical results.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The article from August 2016 reviewed the autoimmune mechanisms shared between vitiligo and alopecia areata, highlighting the role of increased reactive oxygen species and cellular stress in triggering the innate immune response in both conditions. Genome-wide association studies have shown risk alleles affecting both innate and adaptive immunity. Crucially, research, particularly in mouse models, has identified an interferon (IFN)γ-driven immune response, including IFNγ itself, IFNγ-induced chemokines, and cytotoxic CD8 T cells as central to the pathogenesis of both diseases. These findings have led to the exploration of new treatment strategies targeting these pathways, with some early clinical studies showing promise and supporting the need for larger clinical trials.

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research Familial Aggregation of Alopecia Areata

295 citations , May 2016 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

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

research Rapid Skin Repigmentation on Oral Ruxolitinib in a Patient with Coexistent Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata

157 citations , December 2015 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This case study reported significant but temporary hair regrowth and skin repigmentation in a patient with vitiligo and alopecia areata during treatment with oral ruxolitinib.

research Topical Ruxolitinib for the Treatment of Alopecia Universalis

96 citations , December 2015 in “JAMA dermatology”

This article discusses the potential of topical ruxolitinib as a treatment for alopecia universalis and acknowledges the need for alternatives to systemic JAK inhibitors due to the risk of serious side effects.

research Extensive Alopecia Areata Is Reversed by IL-12/IL-23p40 Cytokine Antagonism

68 citations , November 2015 in “The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology”

In this study, three patients with extensive alopecia areata showed varying degrees of hair regrowth after 20 weeks of treatment with ustekinumab, a cytokine-targeting therapy.

research Functional Interpretation of Genome-Wide Association Study Evidence in Alopecia Areata

55 citations , October 2015 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Alopecia areata is linked to immune-related genes, suggesting JAK inhibitors as a potential treatment.

research Alopecia Areata Profiling Shows TH1, TH2, and IL-23 Cytokine Activation Without Parallel TH17/TH22 Skewing

176 citations , August 2015 in “The journal of allergy and clinical immunology/Journal of allergy and clinical immunology/The journal of allergy and clinical immunology”

This study identified a distinct cytokine activation signature in alopecia areata, involving TH2, TH1, IL-23, and IL-9/TH9 pathways, suggesting potential targeting strategies similar to those in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

research Reversal of Alopecia Areata Following Treatment With the JAK1/2 Inhibitor Baricitinib

184 citations , February 2015 in “EBioMedicine”

This study observed that baricitinib treatment led to significant improvement in a patient's alopecia areata symptoms and suggests further clinical trials to explore its potential as a treatment.

research Investigation of Oxidative Stress in Patients with Alopecia Areata and Its Relationship with Disease Severity, Duration, Recurrence, and Pattern

35 citations , December 2014 in “Clinical and experimental dermatology”

This study found that patients with alopecia areata had reduced erythrocyte SOD and GSH-Px activities and elevated plasma MDA levels, suggesting a potential role of oxidative stress in the disease's pathogenesis.

research The Autoimmune Basis of Alopecia Areata: A Comprehensive Review

162 citations , October 2014 in “Autoimmunity reviews”

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.

research Alopecia Areata Is Driven by Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Is Reversed by JAK Inhibition

701 citations , August 2014 in “Nature medicine”

This study found that JAK inhibitors promote hair regrowth in both mice and human alopecia areata cases by blocking key immune pathways involved in disease development.

research Alopecia Areata: An Evidence-Based Treatment Update

72 citations , July 2014 in “American journal of clinical dermatology”

This review analyzed randomized controlled trials on alopecia areata treatment and found that while several treatments showed effectiveness, most studies had limitations affecting their interpretability.

research Killing Two Birds with One Stone: Oral Tofacitinib Reverses Alopecia Universalis in a Patient with Plaque Psoriasis

185 citations , June 2014 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This case report describes complete hair regrowth in a patient with alopecia universalis and improved psoriasis after treatment with the oral Janus kinase inhibitor, tofacitinib.

research Vitiligo and Alopecia Areata: Apples and Oranges?

71 citations , October 2013 in “Experimental Dermatology”

This review discusses the similar immune pathways and genetic risk factors of vitiligo and alopecia areata but reports no new clinical findings, emphasizing the potential for shared treatment research.

research Oxidative Stress in Alopecia Areata: A Case-Control Study

62 citations , July 2013 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology”

This study found that alopecia areata patients had higher oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation levels than healthy controls, suggesting potential involvement in the disease's pathogenesis.

research Alopecia Areata: An Autoimmune Disease Causing Hair Loss

421 citations , April 2012 in “The New England Journal of Medicine”

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

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.