SnapshotDx Quiz: March 2016
February 2016
in “
The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology
”
TLDR JAK inhibitors may help treat alopecia areata by reversing hair loss.
The "SnapshotDx Quiz: March 2016" document discussed alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disease causing abrupt hair loss, and highlighted findings from a study by Li et al. The study identified CD103+CD8+ resident memory T-cells in active AA biopsies and suggested the potential use of JAK inhibitors for treatment. Small pilot studies and case reports showed that JAK inhibitors like tofacitinib, ruxolitinib, and baricitinib could reverse AA. The study also found increased expression of chemokines and chemokine receptors in active AA bulbs, indicating a role in inflammation and relapse, and abnormal transcriptional patterns in regrown follicles, suggesting a persistent predisposition to AA.