Inducible Skin-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (iSALT) Detected in Scalp Treated with Topical Immunotherapy for Alopecia Areata
TLDR Topical immunotherapy for alopecia areata may work by creating immune cell clusters in the skin.
The study investigated the presence of inducible skin-associated lymphoid tissue (iSALT) in the scalp of patients with alopecia areata (AA) undergoing topical immunotherapy. Immunohistochemistry on skin sections from these patients revealed tightly packed infiltrations of T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells (DCs) in the dermal perivascular areas and around the hair bulge. These findings suggested that iSALT might play a crucial role in the effectiveness of topical immunotherapy for AA by facilitating chronic delayed-type hypersensitivity responses.
