title: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) may award relative protection from interferon-γ-induced collapse of human hair follicle immune privilege.
abstract: Interferon-γ (IFNγ)-induced collapse of hair follicle (HF) immune privilege (IP) is a key element in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata. In this pilot study, we investigated whether the immunosuppressive neuropeptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), can protect from and/or restore IFNγ-induced HF-IP collapse. After showing that human scalp HFs express CGRP receptor-like receptor (CRLR) immunoreactivity, anagen HFs were cultured in the presence of IFNγ, with CGRP added before or after. Adding CGRP after IFNγ administration ('restoration assay') failed to downregulate IFNγ-induced ectopic MHC class I expression, while MHC class II expression was reduced. However, administering CGRP before IFNγ application ('protection assay') significantly reduced the IFNγ-induced overexpression and ectopic expression of MHC class I and II and reduced the increased degranulation of perifollicular mast cells induced by IFNγ. This suggests that CGRP may not restore HF-IP once it has collapsed, but may protect it from collapsing. Therefore, CRLR stimulation might help to retard AA progression.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinori
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: Liat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samuelov
authors.forename: Katja C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Vladimir U
authors.initials: VU
authors.lastname: Emelianov
authors.forename: Sybille
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasse
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paus
mesh_terms: D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058286:Calcitonin Receptor-Like Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012535:Scalp / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D058286:Calcitonin Receptor-Like Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide