title: Reversal of Alopecia Areata Following Treatment With the JAK1/2 Inhibitor Baricitinib.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease resulting in hair loss with devastating psychosocial consequences. Despite its high prevalence, there are no FDA-approved treatments for AA. Prior studies have identified a prominent interferon signature in AA, which signals through JAK molecules.
  
  
  METHODS
  A patient with AA was enrolled in a clinical trial to examine the efficacy of baricitinib, a JAK1/2 inhibitor, to treat concomitant CANDLE syndrome. In vivo, preclinical studies were conducted using the C3H/HeJ AA mouse model to assess the mechanism of clinical improvement by baricitinib.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient exhibited a striking improvement of his AA on baricitinib over several months. In vivo studies using the C3H/HeJ mouse model demonstrated a strong correlation between resolution of the interferon signature and clinical improvement during baricitinib treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Baricitinib may be an effective treatment for AA and warrants further investigation in clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jabbari
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Zhenpeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Luzhou
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cerise
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yuval
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ramot
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Yackov
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berkun
authors.affiliation: Translational Autoinflammatory Disease Section, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Gina A Montealegre
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Translational Autoinflammatory Disease Section, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Raphaela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldbach-Mansky
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA ; Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Christiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA ; Department of Pathology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA ; Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Clynes
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zlotogorski
mesh_terms: D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*; D000818:Animals; D001384:Azetidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007372:Interferons / Q000378:metabolism; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008297:Male; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011687:Purines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001384:Azetidines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011687:Purines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D007372:Interferons; D053612:Janus Kinases; C000596027:baricitinib
keywords: Alopecia areata; Autoimmune disease; Autoinflammatory; Baricitinib; CANDLE syndrome; Gene expression profiling; Interferon gamma; JAK inhibitor