The potential of regulatory T cell-based therapies for alopecia areata

Sheng Wan; Wen Xu; Bo Xie; Cuiping Guan; Xiuzu Song

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1111547

The potential of regulatory T cell-based therapies for alopecia areata

Front Immunol. 2023 May 2:14:1111547. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1111547. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Sheng Wan¹, Wen Xu², Bo Xie¹, Cuiping Guan¹, Xiuzu Song¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, Hangzhou Third Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou Dermatology Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
² School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang, Hangzhou, China.

Abstract

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte has been a concern for the etiopathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA), some recent evidence suggests that the regulatory T (T_reg) cell deficiency is also a contributing factor. In the lesional scalp of AA, T_reg cells residing in the follicles are impaired, leading to dysregulated local immunity and hair follicle (HF) regeneration disorders. New strategies are emerging to modulate T_reg cells' number and function for autoimmune diseases. There is much interest to boost T_reg cells in AA patients to suppress the abnormal autoimmunity of HF and stimulate hair regeneration. With few satisfactory therapeutic regimens available for AA, T_reg cell-based therapies could be the way forward. Specifically, CAR-T_reg cells and novel formulations of low-dose IL-2 are the alternatives.

Keywords: CAR-Treg cell; Treg cell-based therapy; alopecia areata; autoimmune disease; hair follicle; immune homeostasis; low-dose IL-2; regulatory T cell.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alopecia Areata* / therapy
Autoimmune Diseases*
Autoimmunity
Humans
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory

Supplementary concepts

Diffuse alopecia

Grants and funding

This work was supported by research funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81872517), the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. LY21H110001), the Hangzhou Medical Key Discipline Construction Project [No (2021).21-3], the Science and Technology Special Project of Biomedicine and Health Industry in Hangzhou (No. 2021WJCY156), and the Zhejiang Medical and Health Research Project (2023KY189).