[Study of the existence of neoantigens in affected hair follicles using lymphocyte transformation test in alopecia areata and healthy persons]

ABSTRACT

Background: Alopecia areata is a common, inflamatory and chronic disease of hair and nails, which in some cases result in growth inhibition and lose of hairs. Several factors such as genetic factors, autoimmunity, atopy, stress, fear etc, are known as effective factors in induction and severity of the disease, but the ethiology of this disease is not known exactly so far. Some evidences such as presence of an autoantibodies against hair follicules and infiltration of immunocompetent cells in affected areas of the disease lead that most investigators classify alopecia as autoimmune disease. In one investigation in immunology department of Tarbiat Modarres university concerning the humoral immunity in alopecia pathogenesis some evidences were found for the presences of a neoantigen in affected hair follicles. Since various studies indicates that cellular arm of the immune system is more important in alopecia areata pathogenesis, in this investigation we studied the existence of neoantigens in affected hair follicles using lymphocyte transformation test [LTT]