Pigmentation and Autophagy in Alopecia Areata Pathogenesis

The study explored the role of pigmentation and autophagy in the pathogenesis of Alopecia Areata (AA), focusing on the protein Syntaxin17 (Stx17). It was hypothesized that pigmented hairs are preferentially attacked in AA, leading to sudden whitening of hair. Stx17, identified as an AA-associated locus, showed reduced expression in AA patient scalp biopsies and is involved in pigmentation and autophagy. While initial sequencing in 113 patients did not reveal causal variants, whole genome sequencing of 500 patients was underway. The study aimed to further define the roles of Stx17, autophagy, and pigmentation in AA progression.