Melan-A Positive Cells Significantly Expressed in Immune-Targeted Follicles of Alopecia Areata

August 2023 in “ Research Square (Research Square) ”

Sherif Awad, Amal T. Abdel‐Rahman, Keroles Nageh, Manal Gabril

alopecia areata Melan-A melanocytic marker hair follicles immune mononuclear infiltrates melanocytes antigenic epitope autoimmune response pathogenesis AA immune cells white hair regrowth

TLDR Melanocytes may trigger the immune response in alopecia areata, affecting hair regrowth.

The study on 16 alopecia areata (AA) patients found that Melan-A, a melanocytic marker, is significantly expressed in 50 out of 82 examined hair follicles, particularly in the lower follicular segment. This expression correlates with immune mononuclear infiltrates, suggesting that melanocytes may carry the antigenic epitope necessary to trigger the autoimmune response in AA. This could explain why only white hair regrows in some cases, supporting the theory that melanocytes play a crucial role in AA's pathogenesis and highlighting their potential as therapeutic targets.

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