research Genome-Wide Association Study in Alopecia Areata Implicates Both Innate and Adaptive Immunity
A genome-wide association study conducted on 1,054 cases and 3,278 controls identified several susceptibility loci for alopecia areata, suggesting the involvement of both innate and adaptive immunity in the disease. The study highlighted significant associations with genes related to regulatory T cells, CTLA4, IL-2/IL-21, IL-2RA, and the HLA region, as well as genes expressed in the hair follicle like PRDX5 and STX17. Notably, the ULBP gene cluster on chromosome 6q25.1, encoding ligands for the natural killer cell receptor NKG2D, was implicated for the first time in autoimmune disease, with ULBP3 expression upregulated in the hair follicle during active disease. This research provided insights into the genetic basis of alopecia areata and suggested a novel mechanism involving ULBP ligand upregulation in autoimmunity.
