Significance of HLA-DR+ T Cells and Natural Killer Cells in the Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Alopecia Areata

October 1990 in “ PubMed ”

Ryusuke Imai

alopecia areata HLA-DR+ T cells natural killer cells NK cells alopecia totalis alopecia universalis betamethasone autoimmune disorders AA total hair loss universal hair loss steroid treatment autoimmune diseases

TLDR Severe alopecia areata involves higher levels of certain immune cells, which can be normalized with betamethasone.

The study investigated HLA-DR+ T cell and NK cell subsets in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with alopecia areata (AA). It found that patients with mild patchy AA and acute alopecia totalis had similar percentages of these cells compared to normal controls. However, patients with severe patchy AA and alopecia universalis, where hair regrowth was difficult, had significantly higher percentages of HLA-DR+ Leu3a+ cells, HLA-DR+ Leu2a+ cells, and Leu7-Leu11+ cells. Treatment with betamethasone normalized these elevated cell percentages. These findings suggested that autoimmune disorders involving HLA-DR+ T cells and NK cells played important roles in severe AA and alopecia universalis.

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39 citations, April 2003 in “Australasian journal of dermatology”

PUVA treatment led to significant hair regrowth in over half of the patients with alopecia areata totalis and universalis.