TLDR Different parts of the body have unique immune characteristics in their skin.
The study examined inflammatory pathways in skin from different body sites of 24 healthy individuals, using 48 biopsies. It found that the back had the highest expression of immune markers and cell densities, including Th2/Th17/Th22/Treg-related products, Langerhans cells, myeloid dendritic cells, and regulatory T cells, correlating with the highest hair follicle counts. These findings suggested that the back's unique immune environment might enhance the effectiveness of epicutaneous immunotherapy. The study highlighted the importance of understanding site-specific differences for optimizing skin sampling in research and clinical trials, despite limitations like small sample size and lack of diversity in age and ethnicity.
192 citations,
March 2017 in “Cell host & microbe” Hair follicle development and microbes help regulatory T cells gather in newborn skin.
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” Alopecia areata involves immune activation in the scalp, suggesting treatments targeting TH1, TH2, and IL-23 pathways.
286 citations,
June 2012 in “Nature Immunology” Hair follicles help attract immune cells to the skin during stress.
36 citations,
December 2021 in “The journal of allergy and clinical immunology/Journal of allergy and clinical immunology/The journal of allergy and clinical immunology” Two drugs, ritlecitinib and brepocitinib, improved scalp hair loss condition markers.
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” Alopecia areata involves immune activation in the scalp, suggesting treatments targeting TH1, TH2, and IL-23 pathways.
77 citations,
June 2017 in “Advances in Therapy” New treatments for Alopecia Areata, like JAK inhibitors, show promise for hair regrowth and are likely to change future treatment approaches.
30 citations,
May 2016 in “Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy” New treatments targeting immune pathways show promise for severe hair loss but need more research for safety and effectiveness.
22 citations,
August 2021 in “Frontiers in medicine” Immune cells in Hidradenitis suppurativa become more inflammatory and may be important for treatment targets.