017 Immunogenic catagen initiates alopecia areata

Abstract

In autoimmunity, emerging evidence suggests that intrinsic dysregulation in the target organ itself may contribute to the onset of disease. Alopecia areata (AA) is autoimmune disease in which cytotoxic CD8+ T cells attack anagen hair follicles (HFs). The mechanism of disease initiation is largely unknown, since patients develop AA after the preceding immunogenic events have already occurred. Using C3H/HeJ inbred mice, we discovered an immunogenic cascade that occurred during the catagen stage of hair cycle prior to the onset of spontaneous AA.