KAIST Research Team Discovers Immune Cells Causing Alopecia Areata
Joint Participation by KAIST and Chung-Ang University Hospital Dermatology
Published in International Journal 'Nature Immunology'
The research team led by Professor Park Soo-hyung at the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), announced on the 4th that they have discovered immune cells causing alopecia areata and identified their structure. The results of this study were also published in the international immunology journal Nature Immunology.
The research team led by Professor Park Soo-hyung at the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), announced on the 4th that they have discovered the immune cells causing alopecia areata and identified their structure. [Image source=Getty Images]
Alopecia areata is an inflammatory disease that invades hair follicles (skin organs that produce hair) caused by the activation of autoimmunity due to excessive stress. Accordingly, the research team analyzed skin tissues and blood from alopecia areata patients, as well as skin and lymph nodes from mice induced with alopecia areata.
As a result, they identified a new group of immune cells derived from "virtual memory T cells" as the key cause of alopecia areata onset. Virtual memory T cells are a population of cells with immune functions already activated without external stimuli. They are known to help regulate infections by viruses, bacteria, and parasites, and to eliminate cancer cells.
The research team found that cytokines (IL-12, IL-15, IL-18) secreted from the skin activated virtual memory T cells, differentiating them into immune cell groups with high cytotoxic capabilities. Furthermore, these activated immune cells were found to induce alopecia areata by destroying hair follicle cells through cytotoxic action mediated by the receptor NKG2D.
The research team explained, "This study is the first to show that virtual memory T cells do not protect the body but can cause inflammatory diseases after being activated by antigen-nonspecific stimuli," adding, "If antibody therapeutics are developed through further research, it could present new treatment strategies for the occurrence of various chronic inflammatory diseases."
This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the joint research project of the four major science and technology institutes, and the basic research fund of the Korean Hair Research Society. Professors Shin Ui-cheol of KAIST Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering and Seok Jun of Chung-Ang University Hospital Dermatology jointly participated in this study.
Meanwhile, the number of people experiencing hair loss is increasing recently due to excessive stress and other factors. According to the National Health Insurance Service, the number of patients treated for hair loss last year reached approximately 243,000. Including hair loss caused by aging or genetic factors, it is expected to reach 10 million people.
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