TLDR A substance called VIP might protect hair follicles from being attacked by the immune system, and problems with VIP signaling could lead to hair loss in alopecia areata.
The document discusses the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA), a condition characterized by the loss of immune privilege (IP) in hair follicles (HFs). VIP is an immunoinhibitory neuropeptide that is released by nerve fibers surrounding hair follicles and is crucial for maintaining immune homeostasis. The paper suggests that defective VIP receptor-mediated signaling may contribute to the collapse of HF-IP, leading to the development of AA. This implies that VIP has a protective role in preventing the immune system from targeting hair follicles, and disruptions in VIP signaling could be a factor in AA onset.
421 citations,
April 2012 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition causing hair loss with no cure and treatments that often don't work well.
47 citations,
December 2011 in “Experimental Dermatology” CGRP may help protect hair follicles from immune system attacks, potentially slowing hair loss.
21 citations,
June 2011 in “Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science” Hair follicles could help develop eye treatments by studying immune responses.
132 citations,
September 2009 in “Experimental Dermatology” A reliable system was developed to distinguish hair growth stages, aiding in identifying hair growth promoters or inhibitors.
159 citations,
December 2007 in “American Journal of Pathology” Stress-related substance P may lead to hair loss and negatively affect hair growth.
27 citations,
December 2002 in “Journal of dermatological science” Merkel cells and Langerhans cells in hair follicles are closely connected and may interact.
3 citations,
June 2023 in “Frontiers in medicine” Oxidative stress may contribute to hair loss in alopecia areata and antioxidants could potentially help as a treatment.
April 2023 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” The study found that a key immune pathway protecting hair follicles is reduced in a mouse model of scarring hair loss.
134 citations,
July 2020 in “Experimental dermatology” Hair follicles are normally protected from the immune system, but when this protection fails, it can cause hair loss in alopecia areata.
