The Potential of Regulatory T Cell-Based Therapies for Alopecia Areata

The document discusses the potential of regulatory T cell (Treg)-based therapies for alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disease causing hair loss. Treg cells are crucial for maintaining immune homeostasis and promoting hair regeneration, but in AA patients, these cells have impaired inhibitory activity, leading to an imbalance between T-helper (TH) 17 cells and Treg cells. The paper suggests that low-dose IL-2 combined with other treatments could enhance therapy efficacy. However, the exact autoantigens for targeted therapy are still disputed, and large-scale studies are needed to confirm the safety and effectiveness of these therapies. The document also identifies two types of Treg cell-based therapies: cellular, involving the transfer of CAR-Treg cells, and non-cellular, working by inducing Treg cells. Despite the potential of these therapies, many questions remain unanswered, such as whether the defects of Treg cell are the cause or effect of hair follicle immune privilege collapse.