Alopecia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Alopecia, including details on hair loss, baldness, treatment, causes, prevention.

Clues from alopecia areata on the role of neuropeptides in the initiation of autoimmunity.

Kalish RS

Department of Dermatology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8165, USA. richard.kalish@stonybrook.edu

A fascinating question regarding the pathogenesis of alopecia areata is the potential linkage with the brain. Siebenharr et al. demonstrate that substance P fibers are increased in early lesions, and that substance P treatment induces catagen follicles along with activated CD8+ T cells. Potentially, neuropeptides serve as the initial insult resulting in loss of tolerance and autoimmune disease.

Published 15 May 2007 in J Invest Dermatol, 127(6): 1289-91.
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