Double-Stranded RNA Induces Inflammation via the NF-κB Pathway and Inflammasome Activation in the Outer Root Sheath Cells of Hair Follicles
March 2017
in “
Scientific reports
”
TLDR Double-stranded RNA causes inflammation in hair follicle cells, which may help understand and treat alopecia areata.
This study investigated the role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the outer root sheath (ORS) cells of hair follicles in the context of alopecia areata (AA). Researchers found increased expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and caspase-1 in AA tissue specimens. Stimulation of ORS cells with the double-stranded RNA mimic poly(I:C) enhanced caspase-1 activation and IL-1β secretion. NLRP3 knockdown reduced this IL-1β production, and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) was translocated and secreted due to inflammasome activation. These findings suggested that ORS cells play a crucial role in inducing NLRP3 inflammasomes, and dsRNA-induced IL-1β and HMGB1 secretion may help clarify AA pathogenesis and identify therapeutic targets.
