| First Author | Hoffmann R | Year | 1999 |
| Journal | J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc | Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 235-8 |
| PubMed ID | 10674373 | Mgi Jnum | J:59938 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1352320 | Doi | 10.1038/sj.jidsp.5640218 |
| Citation | Hoffmann R (1999) The potential role of cytokines and T cells in alopecia areata. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 4(3):235-8 |
| abstractText | T cells play an important role in alopecia areata (AA) because AA can be reinduced by the injection of hair follicle-specific CD8+ T cells into AA scalp biopsies, which were grafted onto scid mice, and the depletion of CD8+ T cells restores hair growth in the Dundee experimental bald rat. Moreover, AA can be transferred by grafting of alopecic skin from C3H/HeJ mice with AA-like hair loss onto unaffected littermates, but the onset of AA is inhibited by i.p. injection of anti-CD44v10 antibodies. Interestingly, grafted anti-CD44v10-treated mice have decreased numbers of CD8+ T cells within the skin. Beside T cells several clinical and experimental data point towards cytokines that might be crucial inducers of hair loss in AA. An aberrant expression of cytokines of the Thl type and IL-1beta has been detected in scalp areas involved by AA, and polymorphisms of cytokine genes such as IL-1-receptor antagonist, IL-1alpha, and TNF-alpha have been shown to determine disease susceptibility and severity. Moreover, IL-1 has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of human hair growth in vitro. Such IL-1-incubated hair follicles show ultrastructural changes similar to those observable in vivo. On the other hand mice transgenic for IL-1alpha develop patchy hair loss and during the depilation-induced hair cycle in C57/BL6 mice, members of the IL-1 family are overexpressed with the onset of spontaneous catagen. Taking all of the presently available data together, we may hypothesize that CD8+ T cells are of crucial importance in AA by their interaction with MHC-I restricted autoantigens, and cytolysis of their target cells. Hair loss, however, may occur because proinflammatory cytokines may interfere with the hair cycle leading to premature arrest of hair cycling. |
