Development and Therapeutic Evaluation of a Uniform Lymph Node Cell Transfer Model of Alopecia Areata

The study developed a lymph node cell transfer-induced alopecia areata (AA) mouse model to evaluate therapeutic treatments for AA, an autoimmune disease causing hair loss. Using C3H mice, researchers transferred activated lymph node cells from AA-affected mice to healthy ones, resulting in significant hair loss in the recipients. The model showed elevated levels of CD3+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and NKG2D+ cells, confirming its autoimmune nature. Treatments with oral Ritlecitinib and topical Tacrolimus were tested, with Tacrolimus leading to nearly complete hair regrowth and reduced immune cell infiltration. This model effectively mimics AA's pathogenesis and aids in testing potential therapies.