Lichen Planopilaris Is Characterized By Immune Privilege Collapse Of The Hair Follicle's Epithelial Stem Cell Niche

June 2013 in “ The Journal of Pathology ”

Matthew Harries, Katja C. Meyer, Iskander H. Chaudhry, Jennifer E. Kloepper, Enrique Poblet, C.E.M. Griffiths, Ralf Paus

lichen planopilaris immune privilege hair follicle epithelial stem cell niche bulge MHC class I MHC class II Th1-biased cytotoxic T cell response epithelial hair follicle stem cells interferon-γ autoimmune disease cicatricial alopecia LPP immune system hair loss stem cells IFNγ scarring alopecia

TLDR Lichen planopilaris may be an autoimmune disease causing hair loss due to immune system issues in hair follicles.

The study investigated the pathogenesis of lichen planopilaris (LPP), a chronic inflammatory disease causing permanent hair loss, by analyzing scalp biopsies from 42 adult patients. It found that LPP is characterized by the collapse of immune privilege in the hair follicle's epithelial stem cell niche, known as the bulge. This collapse was evidenced by increased expression of MHC class I and II and a Th1-biased cytotoxic T cell response, alongside increased proliferation and apoptosis of epithelial hair follicle stem cells (eHFSCs). The findings suggested that interferon-γ (IFNγ) plays a significant role in this process, indicating that LPP may be an autoimmune disease. The study proposed that protecting or restoring immune privilege in the bulge could be a therapeutic strategy for managing this treatment-resistant form of cicatricial alopecia.

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Research cited in this study

19 / 19 results

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research The Pathogenesis of Primary Cicatricial Alopecias

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

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research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Versus Lichen Planopilaris: A Clinicopathological Study

126 citations, April 2006 in “International Journal of Dermatology”

The conclusion is that FFA and LPP have similar scalp biopsy features, making them hard to distinguish histologically, and FFA may be a specific kind of scarring hair loss.

research Characterization and Isolation of Stem Cell-Enriched Human Hair Follicle Bulge Cells

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