Journal article
The current state of knowledge of the immune ecosystem in alopecia areata
Autoimmunity reviews, Vol.21(5), pp.103061-103061
05/2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2022.103061
PMCID: PMC9018517
PMID: 35151885
Abstract
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that affects approximately 2% of the general population. Patients with AA most commonly present with one or more patches of hair loss on the scalp in defined circular areas. A fraction of patients progress to more severe forms of the disease, in some cases with involvement of all body surfaces. The healthy anagen stage hair follicle is considered an immune privileged site, described as an environment that suppresses inflammatory immune responses. However, in AA, this immune privileged state collapses and marks the hair follicle as a target for the immune system, resulting in peri- and intrafollicular infiltration by lymphocytes. The complexity of the inflammatory ecosystem of the immune response to the hair follicle, and the relationships between the cellular and soluble participants, in AA remains incompletely understood. Many studies have demonstrated the presence of various immune cells around diseased hair follicles; however, often little is known about their respective contributions to AA pathogenesis. Furthering our understanding of the mechanisms of disease in AA is essential for the novel identification of targeted therapeutics that are efficacious and have few unintended effects.
•Alopecia areata is characterized by immune infiltration of the hair follicle leading to hair loss.•Mouse models have aided in our understanding of mechanisms in the immune response of the hair follicle.•Collapse of immune privilege at the hair follicle is a critical event for AA development.•There is evidence that many different immune cells may be present around the hair follicle in AA.•Further studies are needed to dissect the contribution of these various immune cells to the development of AA.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The current state of knowledge of the immune ecosystem in alopecia areata
- Creators
- Samuel J. Connell - University of IowaAli Jabbari - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Autoimmunity reviews, Vol.21(5), pp.103061-103061
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.autrev.2022.103061
- PMID
- 35151885
- PMCID
- PMC9018517
- ISSN
- 1568-9972
- eISSN
- 1568-9972
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/2022
- Academic Unit
- Dermatology
- Record Identifier
- 9984296211102771
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