Remission of Alopecia Universalis Following Successful Clinical Islet Transplantation

    September 2011 in “ American Journal of Transplantation ”
    Peter Senior, Angela Koh, A. M. James Shapiro
    TLDR Hair regrowth in alopecia universalis may be possible by altering immune cells.
    A 48-year-old Caucasian female with type 1 diabetes and alopecia universalis experienced unexpected hair regrowth following successful clinical islet transplantation, achieving insulin independence. Eight weeks post-transplant, she reported growth of eyelashes, eyebrows, and body hair, with continued, albeit sparse, scalp hair growth 12 months later. This remission supported the autoimmune basis of alopecia universalis, suggesting that the condition may be due to hair follicles remaining in telogen rather than being destroyed. The remission might have resulted from maintenance immunosuppression or the deletion of autoreactive T-lymphocytes, with alterations in T-cell behavior being a more likely cause.
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