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

December 2007 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”

Taisuke Ito, Natsuho Ito, Matthias Saatoff, Hideo Hashizume, Hidekazu Fukamizu, Brian J. Nickoloff, Masahiro Takigawa, Ralf Paus

hair follicles immune privilege natural killer cells MHC class I macrophage migration inhibitory factor alopecia areata autoimmune disease NK cell inhibition HFs IP NK cells AA

Studysummary 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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This study found that IFN-γ plays a critical role in T cell activation and the pathogenesis of alopecia areata in C3H/HeJ mice.

research Alopecia Areata: A Tissue-Specific Autoimmune Disease of the Hair Follicle

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This review discusses alopecia areata as a model for studying tissue-directed autoimmune diseases and reports no new clinical findings.

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This study found that 363 genes were differentially expressed in alopecia areata skin compared to non-lesional skin, suggesting T-cell mediated immune responses and distinct gene profiles related to the disease's stage.

research Role of Cytotoxic T Cells in Chronic Alopecia Areata

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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 Changes in Populations of HLA-DR+CD3+ Cells and CD57–CD16+ Cells in Alopecia Areata After Corticosteroid Therapy

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This study found that severe forms of alopecia areata showed increased activated T cells and natural killer cells, which decreased after corticosteroid treatment, correlating with disease activity and hair regrowth.

research Distribution of Major Histocompatibility Antigens in Normal Skin

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This study found HLA and beta 2-microglobulin antigens in various skin structures, with specific localization patterns in keratinocytes and hair follicle components, but not in eccrine or apocrine glands.