title: Microchimerism in alopecia areata.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autoimmunity is the main etiopathogenetic factor in alopecia areata. Microchimerism is the existence of allogeneic DNA in a living creature. There are variable studies investigating the role of microchimerism on the etiopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. To our knowledge, no report has investigated the relationship between microchimerism and alopecia areata.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the possible role of microchimerism on alopecia areata.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed SRY gene levels as indicators of fetal microchimerism in our patient group. The patients were 29 women with alopecia areata, over 18 years old, who had visited our clinic between 2010 and 2013. Patients were divided into two groups; group 1 consisted of 14 patients having a son and group 2, 15 patients either nulliparous or having a daughter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen of 29 patients (58.6%) and four of 103 controls (3.9%) showed presence of an SRY gene. The difference between the patient and control groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a result of our study, microchimerism may be associated with the etiopathogenesis of alopecia areata. However, we think there is a need for a larger series of studies to support this hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Sakarya State Hospital, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdinç
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Terzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bulut
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ümit
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Türsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tamer İrfan
authors.initials: Tİ
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mersin State Hospital, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Belma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Türsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Emin
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Erdal
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey.
authors.forename: Şenay Görücü
authors.initials: ŞG
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D046528:Chimerism; D005260:Female; D024282:Genes, sry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009679:Nuclear Family; D017584:Reproductive History; D055815:Young Adult