Single-Cell Sequencing Combined With Spatial Transcriptomics Reveals the Characteristics of Follicle-Targeted Inflammation Patterns in Primary Cicatricial Alopecia

July 2025 in “ Cell & Bioscience ”

Qitao Chen, Yuqian Li, Qilin Zhu, Zhongming Li, Guanghui Shao, Yanjun Liu, Peng Jiang, Qiuwei Tao, Lili Shen, Jing Zhu, Linwei Wei, Yanhua Li, Xufeng Du

primary cicatricial alopecia lichen planopilaris single-cell RNA sequencing spatial transcriptomics CD8+ effector memory T cells macrophages bulge cells Tem cells localized scleroderma JAK-STAT pathway Janus kinase inhibitors immunofluorescence PCA LPP LS JAK inhibitors

Studysummary Specific immune cells and pathways contribute to hair follicle inflammation and hair loss, suggesting potential treatments for lichen planopilaris.

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research Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor/Mitogen-Activated Kinase Inhibitor Treatment Induces a Distinct Inflammatory Hair Follicle Response That Includes Collapse of Immune Privilege

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This study found that treatment with EGFR inhibitors or mitogen-activated kinase inhibitors may compromise the immune privilege of human scalp hair follicles, suggesting new directions for managing drug-induced folliculitis.

research Interleukin-15 Is a Hair Follicle Immune Privilege Guardian

1 citations , April 2024 in “Journal of Autoimmunity”

This study found that rhIL-15 promotes human hair follicle growth and regrowth in experimental settings and may have therapeutic potential for alopecia areata by restoring immune privilege guardianship.

research Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors and Janus Kinase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Cicatricial Alopecia: A Systematic Review

February 2024 in “PloS one”

This review concluded that oral tofacitinib and adalimumab are promising treatments for cicatricial alopecia, showing effectiveness in improving signs and symptoms but requiring regular monitoring for adverse effects. The authors emphasize the need for further extensive studies to solidify these findings.

research The Treatment of Primary Cicatricial Alopecia Is Challenging

2 citations , January 2024 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

Treating primary cicatricial alopecia is difficult and requires evidence-based methods.

research Regulatory T Cells in Skin Mediate Immune Privilege of the Hair Follicle Stem Cell Niche

21 citations , January 2024 in “Science Immunology”

This study developed a technique to limit genetic recombination to regulatory T cells to investigate whether self-tolerance is maintained in non-lymphoid tissues, an area previously not well understood.

research Local and Systemic Mechanisms That Control the Hair Follicle Stem Cell Niche

74 citations , October 2023 in “Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology”

research Primary Cicatricial Alopecias Are Characterized by Dysregulation of Shared Gene Expression Pathways

19 citations , July 2022 in “PNAS Nexus”

This study identified a shared gene signature in scarring alopecia subtypes, with increased mast cell presence, suggesting similar treatment approaches may be effective across these hair loss disorders.

research Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Shows Robust T Helper 1 and Janus Kinase 3 Skewing

34 citations , June 2020 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement”

In this study, researchers observed that follicular damage and stem cell loss in frontal fibrosing alopecia may be mediated by immune attacks at the bulge region, suggesting potential for JAK/STAT-targeting treatments to prevent progression.

research A Subset of TREM2+ Dermal Macrophages Secretes Oncostatin M to Maintain Hair Follicle Stem Cell Quiescence and Inhibit Hair Growth

101 citations , March 2019 in “Cell Stem Cell”

This study found that Oncostatin M, via JAK-STAT5 signaling, keeps hair follicle stem cells inactive, and its removal leads to hair growth initiation in mice.

research Lichen Planopilaris and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia as Model Epithelial Stem Cell Diseases

80 citations , April 2018 in “Trends in Molecular Medicine”

This review discusses the roles of interferon-γ and PPAR-γ-mediated signalling in scarring alopecia, suggesting these pathways as potential therapeutic targets, but it reports no new empirical results.

Cicatricial Alopecia Research Foundation Meeting, May 2016: Progress Towards the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Cure of Primary Cicatricial Alopecias

research Cicatricial Alopecia Research Foundation Meeting, May 2016: Progress Towards the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Cure of Primary Cicatricial Alopecias

22 citations , January 2018 in “Experimental Dermatology”

This article reviews insights into the pathogenesis of primary cicatricial alopecias, such as lichen planopilaris, provided by emerging technologies, but it does not report new clinical results.

research Primary Cicatricial Alopecia: Treatment Approaches and Classification

95 citations , November 2016 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This article reviews primary cicatricial alopecias, focusing on lymphocytic forms such as chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, according to a classification by the North American Hair Research Society, and reports no new clinical results.

research Macrophages Contribute to the Cyclic Activation of Adult Hair Follicle Stem Cells

175 citations , December 2014 in “PLoS Biology”

This study found that macrophages near hair follicles contribute to the activation of skin epithelial stem cells in mice, suggesting a novel role for macrophages in regulating hair growth.

research Lichen Planopilaris Is Characterized By Immune Privilege Collapse Of The Hair Follicle's Epithelial Stem Cell Niche

220 citations , June 2013 in “The Journal of Pathology”

This study found that immune privilege collapse in the hair follicle bulge and associated immune responses may contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of lichen planopilaris, suggesting a potential autoimmune basis for the disease.

research Cicatricial (Scarring) Alopecias: Comprehensive Review and Management

44 citations , April 2012 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology”

Scarring alopecias are complex hair loss disorders that require early treatment to prevent permanent hair loss.

research Eph/Ephrin Signaling in Epidermal Differentiation and Disease

42 citations , October 2011 in “Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology”

This review explores the role of Eph receptors and ephrins in skin cell processes, discussing their potential for therapeutic targeting in dermatological disorders, but it presents no new research findings.

research The Pathogenesis of Primary Cicatricial Alopecias

150 citations , October 2010 in “The American Journal of Pathology”

This review discusses the pathogenesis and challenges in treating primary cicatricial alopecia, highlighting the need to understand immune protection collapse in hair follicle stem cells; it reports no new clinical results.

research Dynamic Expression of the Zinc-Finger Transcription Factor Trps1 During Hair Follicle Morphogenesis and Cycling

46 citations , November 2007 in “Gene Expression Patterns”

This study observed that Trps1 gene expression in mice is precisely regulated in skin development, particularly during hair follicle morphogenesis, with distinct localization patterns in different cell types.