Editors' Picks
December 2023
in “
Journal of Investigative Dermatology
”
TLDR A specific type of immune cell plays a key role in causing alopecia areata and could be a target for treatment.
Seok et al. (2023) identified a specific subset of virtual memory CD8+ T cells, CD44super hi (s-hi)CD49dloCD8+ T cells, as key players in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA). These cells, when transferred to naïve mice, induced AA more effectively than conventional TVM cells. The CD44s-hi T cells, stimulated by cytokines IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18, exhibited NKG2D-mediated TCR-independent cytotoxicity, implicating them in chronic inflammation and AA. This study highlights the role of these T cells in AA and suggests potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
