Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Alopecia Areata: Missing Link?

December 2014 in “ Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology ”

Jihane Abou Rahal, Mazen Kurban, Abdul‐Ghani Kibbi, Ossama Abbas

plasmacytoid dendritic cells alopecia areata trichotillomania androgenetic alopecia hair bulb type I interferons immune response hair loss disorders PDCs AA AGA

TLDR Plasmacytoid dendritic cells are a key factor in causing hair loss in alopecia areata and could help differentiate it from other hair loss conditions.

The study examined the involvement of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs) in alopecia areata (AA) by analyzing tissue samples from 19 AA patients, 10 trichotillomania patients, and 7 androgenetic alopecia (AGA) patients. It was found that PDCs were present in all AA cases, located around the hair bulb and producing type I interferons, while they were less common and differently located in trichotillomania cases and not found in AGA cases. The results indicate that PDCs are key in the development of AA and could be used to distinguish AA from other hair loss disorders under the microscope. The study suggests that PDCs may be a critical factor in the immune response that causes hair loss in AA, and that therapies targeting PDCs could be effective for treatment.

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