Experimental Induction of Alopecia Areata-Like Hair Loss in C3H/HeJ Mice Using Full-Thickness Skin Grafts

November 1998 in “ The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology ”

Kevin J. McElwee, Dawnalyn Boggess, Lloyd E. King, John P. Sundberg

Alopecia Areata AA C3H/HeJ mice full-thickness skin grafts immunodeficient mice C3H/SmnC Prkdc(scid)/J mice inflammation hair loss immune response hair follicles depigmented hair regrowth immune cell infiltration Alopecia Areata AA skin grafts hair loss immune response hair follicles

Studysummary This study observed that alopecia areata can be induced and serially transferred in C3H/HeJ mice using skin grafts, providing a useful model for studying the disease in humans. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

In a study from 1998, researchers explored the induction of Alopecia Areata (AA)-like hair loss in C3H/HeJ mice using full-thickness skin grafts as a model for human AA. They found that skin grafts from normal C3H/HeJ mice and immunodeficient C3H/SmnC Prkdc(scid)/J mice onto AA-affected C3H/HeJ mice resulted in inflammation and hair loss in all 28 cases. When grafts from AA-affected mice were transferred to histocompatible C3H/OuJ mice and normal C3H/HeJ mice, hair loss was induced in 4 out of 13 and 19 out of 32 cases, respectively, with the success rate being age-dependent. The AA phenotype could be serially transmitted to normal C3H/HeJ mice in all nine cases. However, grafts onto C3H/SmnC Prkd(scid)/J mice led to depigmented hair regrowth and immune cell infiltration but no hair loss in all 15 cases. Sham grafting did not induce AA in any of the 10 cases. This study concluded that an immune response against hair follicles can be induced in mice, providing a reproducible model to study the pathogenesis and treatment of human AA.

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6 / 6 results

research Murine Cytomegalovirus Is Not Associated With Alopecia Areata in C3H/HeJ Mice

25 citations , June 1998 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

Murine cytomegalovirus does not cause alopecia areata in these mice.

research Comparison of Alopecia Areata in Human and Nonhuman Mammalian Species

71 citations , January 1998 in “Pathobiology”

This review discusses the use of animal models to study alopecia areata and reports no new experimental results, emphasizing the potential for these models to explore the disease's genetics and treatment.

research Autoantibodies to Hair Follicles in C3H/HeJ Mice With Alopecia Areata-Like Hair Loss

72 citations , September 1997 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

research Angora Mouse Mutation: Altered Hair Cycle, Follicular Dystrophy, Phenotypic Maintenance of Skin Grafts, and Changes in Keratin Expression

69 citations , May 1997 in “Veterinary Pathology”

This study found that the angora mouse mutation prolongs the anagen phase, resulting in excessively long hair and follicular abnormalities, without involving circulating hair cycle factors.

research Alopecia Areata in Aging C3H/HeJ Mice

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

This study found that a non-scarring alopecia in C3H/HeJ mice resembles human alopecia areata and may serve as a valuable model for studying specific subtypes of the human condition.

research Failure of Passive Transfer of Serum From Patients With Alopecia Areata and Alopecia Universalis to Inhibit Hair Growth in Transplants of Human Scalp Skin Grafted Onto Nude Mice

60 citations , February 1992 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

In this study, serum from patients with alopecia areata or universalis did not affect hair growth in transplanted scalp skin grafts on nude mice, despite increased deposition of immunoreactants.