Treg-Targeted Therapies Restrain Disease in a Murine Model of Alopecia Areata

July 2025 in “ Journal of Investigative Dermatology ”

Maddison Lensing, Samuel Connell, Peter R. Rhode, Niraj Shrestha, Xiaoyun Zhu, Hing C. Wong, Ali Jabbari

alopecia areata regulatory T cells Tregs HCW9302 IL-2 fusion protein CD8 effector T cells Teffs

TLDR Enhancing Tregs can protect against alopecia areata.

This study investigates the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in alopecia areata (AA) and explores the potential of Treg-targeted therapies. In a murine model, depletion of Tregs worsened AA, while treatment with HCW9302, an IL-2 fusion protein, protected against the disease. HCW9302 treatment led to a significant reduction in CD8 effector T cells (Teffs) and increased Tregs, resulting in a favorable Treg to Teff ratio of 4:1. These findings suggest that enhancing Tregs can protect hair follicles and offer a promising therapeutic strategy for AA, supporting the use of IL-2 fusion proteins in treatment.

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