Transcriptional Profiling in Alopecia Areata Defines Immune and Cell Cycle Control Related Genes Within Disease-Specific Signatures
September 2010
in “
Genomics
”
alopecia areata T-cell mediated immune response humoral mechanisms cellular proliferation arrest apoptotic dysregulation hair follicle structural proteins immune activation cell cycle disruption apoptosis-related mechanisms hair follicle cycling hair follicle regeneration RT-PCR microarray AA T-cell response immune response cell cycle arrest apoptosis hair follicle proteins immune system activation cell cycle issues hair growth cycle hair regrowth PCR gene array
TLDR The study found that immune responses disrupt hair growth cycles, causing hair loss in alopecia areata.
In the 2010 study by Subramanya et al., gene expression profiles from 20 skin samples (10 lesional and 10 non-lesional) of alopecia areata (AA) patients were analyzed using Affymetrix Hu95A-v2 arrays. The study identified 363 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in AA skin, with 97 up-regulated and 266 down-regulated, indicating a T-cell mediated immune response and potential humoral mechanisms. The DEGs also suggested cellular proliferation arrest, apoptotic dysregulation, and decreased expression of hair follicle structural proteins. A comparison between patients with transient AA (less than 1 year, n=4) and persistent AA (more than 1 year, n=6) revealed 262 DEGs, indicating distinct gene profiles for different stages of the disease. The study provided evidence for immune activation, cell cycle disruption, apoptosis-related mechanisms, and arrest of hair follicle cycling and regeneration in AA. Real-time RT-PCR confirmed the microarray results for selected genes, and the study concluded that the immune response in AA disrupts the hair follicle cycle, leading to hair loss.
