Deregulation of Toll Like Receptor Signaling and Association With Caveolin-1 in Lichen Planopilaris Reveals a Novel Mechanism in Pathogenesis of Scarring Alopecia
TLDR The study suggests that changes in immune system receptors and their interaction with a cell component may be important in the development of a type of hair loss condition.
The study investigates the role of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and their association with caveolin-1 (Cav1) in the pathogenesis of lichen planopilaris (LPP), a type of scarring alopecia. By comparing TLR2, TLR4, and TLR5 expression in affected and unaffected scalp samples from 11 LPP patients and 11 healthy controls, the researchers found that TLRs were upregulated in LPP samples and co-localized with Cav1. Notably, patients on systemic statins, which disrupt caveolae formation, showed downregulation of both Cav1 and TLRs. This suggests that TLRs and caveolae play a significant role in CA pathobiology and that targeting caveolae could be a novel therapeutic strategy.
