title: [Selective changes in lymphocytic differentiation antigens in the peripheral blood of patients with alopecia areata treated with oral zinc].
abstract: Recent research has shown that the regrowth of hair in alopecia areata (AA) is associated with the normalization of the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, which is usually in an unbalanced state. This dysbalance is represented by an increased level of CD4+ and a decrease of CD8+ cells and found not only in the bulbar region but also in the peripheral blood. Since zinc generally acts as a polyclonal T-cell activator and has been proved a useful oral therapeutic in AA, we additionally controlled the levels of CD4+ and CD8+ cells as well as other lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of AA patients before and during oral treatment with zinc. Our data revealed a significant raise of CD3+, CD8+, CD19+, HLA-DQ+, HLA-DR+, and Leu 2a+8+ cells during oral therapy with zinc. We conclude that the successful treatment of AA with zinc may be due to immunomodulation, especially through the increase of CD8+ cells.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Hautklinik und Poliklinik Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kreysel
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015032:Zinc
vernacular_title: Selektive Veränderungen lymphozytärer Differenzierungsantigene im peripheren Blut bei Patienten mit Alopecia areata unter oraler Zinktherapie.