May 2018 in “White Rose eTheses Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York)” In this study, researchers found that alopecia areata patients show a significant reduction in suppressive regulatory T-cells and an increase in inflammatory T-cell populations, suggesting an immunological imbalance contributing to the disease.
16 citations
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June 2017 in “Advances in Therapy” This review summarizes recent research on alopecia areata, highlighting advances in targeted therapies due to improved understanding of its immunopathogenesis, though it reports no new clinical results.
1 citations
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January 2017 in “Springer eBooks” This review discusses recent advances in understanding alopecia areata's disease mechanisms and highlights JAK molecules as promising therapeutic targets, but reports no new clinical results; controlled trials are needed.
40 citations
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August 2022 in “Frontiers in immunology” This review discusses the potential of JAK inhibitors as a promising treatment strategy for alopecia areata, highlighting their mechanism and recent FDA approval based on clinical trial efficacy.
14 citations
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April 2021 in “International journal of molecular sciences” This study found that human hematopoietic mesenchymal stem cells increased the viability and migration of human outer root sheath cells in an in vitro alopecia areata model, involving Wnt/β-catenin and JAK/STAT pathways.
May 2024 in “Archives of dermatological research” This study found that Enz_MoriL, a compound derived from Morus alba L., promotes hair follicle cell proliferation by affecting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and can counteract an alopecia areata-like condition by suppressing the JAK-STAT signaling in human hair follicle dermal papilla cells.
2 citations
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April 2018 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study suggests that frontal fibrosing alopecia is a highly inflammatory disease involving TH1 and JAK-STAT pathways, without reduced hair keratins, highlighting JAK-STAT signaling as a potential therapeutic target.
16 citations
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July 2020 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” This study found that ruxolitinib modulated inflammatory changes and stimulated growth factor signals by blocking the JAK-STAT pathway in an in vitro model of alopecia areata.
April 2021 in “Sohag Medical Journal” This review outlines the proposed theories behind the development of alopecia areata, emphasizing the autoimmune process involving lost immune privilege in hair follicles, and stresses the need to pinpoint specific pathogenic mechanisms for potential treatments.
August 2022 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Baricitinib reduces inflammation and mitochondrial damage in skin cells.
4 citations
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October 2024 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” In this study, topical naringin was found to significantly improve dermatitis severity and reduce inflammatory markers in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent for this condition.
3 citations
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September 2025 in “Frontiers in Immunology” This review discusses the complex role of immune disturbances and the JAK-STAT pathway in alopecia areata, noting the success of JAK inhibitors in treatment, while highlighting ongoing debates and challenges in targeting other pathways like IL-17 and TNF-α.
June 2025 in “Academic Medical Journal” This review discusses the mechanisms underlying the collapse of hair follicle immune privilege in alopecia areata and emphasizes the importance of therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring immune tolerance.
July 2024 in “Journal of Controlled Release” In this study, researchers developed topical tofacitinib-loaded cationic lipid nanoparticles, which improved absorption and targeted hair follicles in an ex vivo pig ear model, showing promise in treating alopecia areata by reducing symptoms through the JAK/STAT pathway.
16 citations
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October 2018 in “Experimental Dermatology” This study suggests that mesenchymal stem cell therapy may improve cell viability and regulate key signaling pathways in vitro for treating alopecia areata.
December 2022 in “Revista Medicina Cutánea Ibero-Latino-Americana” This review summarizes current knowledge on the role of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in alopecia areata and suggests moderate efficacy of systemic inhibitors, with low adverse events but high recurrence rates.
15 citations
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December 2018 in “International journal of environmental research and public health/International journal of environmental research and public health” This study observed that Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) can inhibit phosphorylation of STAT1 and reduce a specific subset of immune cells in vitro and ex vivo, suggesting a potential role in maintaining immune privilege in alopecia areata.
11 citations
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October 2018 in “Pediatric dermatology” In this case report, the authors describe a child with treatment-resistant alopecia areata who successfully responded to leflunomide and anthralin, proposing this combination as a potentially cost-effective alternative for managing recalcitrant cases by possibly inhibiting the JAK/STAT pathway.
45 citations
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May 2024 in “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” This manuscript reviews the latest understanding of alopecia areata's pathogenesis, highlighting the roles of genetic, immunological, and environmental factors, with a focus on immune responses involving IFN-γ and cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells as key contributors to hair follicle inflammation and function disruption without follicle destruction.
70 citations
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October 2020 in “The journal of allergy and clinical immunology/Journal of allergy and clinical immunology/The journal of allergy and clinical immunology” This review discusses the JAK-STAT pathway and the use of FDA-approved JAK inhibitors for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases but reports no new research findings.
489 citations
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November 2021 in “Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy” This review discusses the composition, activation, and regulation of the JAK/STAT pathway and highlights its role and inhibitors in various diseases, but reports no new experimental results.
June 2026 in “Saudi Medical Horizons Journal” This review discusses the role of JAK inhibitors in treating atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and vitiligo, highlighting their effectiveness and safety considerations but stressing the need for further research on long-term safety and patient selection.
14 citations
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January 2020 in “Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology” This review discusses the development of Janus kinase inhibitors for dermatologic diseases and reports no new results; the authors note the need for further research on their efficacy and safety.
223 citations
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September 2018 in “Rheumatology” This review examines clinical data on the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors used for immune-mediated conditions beyond rheumatoid arthritis, highlighting their potential therapeutic roles in various inflammatory diseases.
April 2016 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” This study found that inhibiting JAK signaling can unexpectedly trigger hair growth in resting-phase mouse skin, implicating JAK-STAT pathways and oncostatin M in maintaining hair follicle stem cell quiescence.
37 citations
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October 2017 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” This article discusses the potential of oral tofacitinib as a treatment for atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and vitiligo, without presenting new clinical results.
1 citations
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February 2021 in “Farmacja Polska” This article reviews the role of the JAK-STAT pathway in inflammatory skin diseases and considers the therapeutic benefits of JAK inhibitors, presenting them as promising treatments but reports no new experimental results.
June 2026 in “Frontiers in Immunology” In this case report, a 57-year-old man with severe atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, and alopecia areata showed rapid and significant improvement after treatment with the JAK1 inhibitor upadacitinib, suggesting its potential as an effective monotherapy for these co-existing conditions when conventional therapies fail.
1 citations
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July 2019 in “Clinical Rheumatology” Leflunomide is more likely to help treat alopecia areata than cause it.
December 2024 in “Cureus” This case study reports a young male with alopecia universalis experienced significant hair whitening following baricitinib treatment, highlighting the need for further research on JAK inhibitors' impact on hair pigmentation and their underlying mechanisms.