T-Cell Reconstitution After Thymus Xenotransplantation Induces Hair Depigmentation and Loss

    Anna L. Furmanski, Ryan O'shaughnessy, José Ignacio Saldaña, Michael P. Blundell, Adrian J. Thrasher, Neil J. Sebire, E. Graham Davies, Tessa Crompton
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    TLDR T-cell reconstitution after thymus transplantation can cause hair whitening and loss.
    The study presented a mouse model demonstrating that T-cell reconstitution after thymus xenotransplantation could lead to hair depigmentation and loss, linking alopecia to depigmentation disorders. Human thymus tissue was implanted into athymic C57BL/6 nude mice, supporting mouse T-cell development without causing multiorgan autoimmune disease. However, all transplanted mice exhibited significant hair depigmentation and follicle loss. Transfer of T cells from these mice to black-coated RAG(-/-) recipients caused progressive coat-hair whitening and patchy hair loss. CD4+ T cells alone were sufficient to induce these effects. Immunofluorescent analysis indicated a decrease in Trp2+ melanocyte-lineage cells in depigmented follicles, and pathogenic T cells showed increased activation markers when exposed to melanocytes, suggesting a lack of tolerance to self-melanocyte antigens. This raised questions about tissue-specific tolerance mechanisms to skin antigens.
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