A Study on the Changes of T Lymphocyte of the Peripheral Blood in Patients with Alopecia Areata using Flow Cytometry

Lee, Won Soo; Lee, In Wook; Lee, Chang Hoon

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The immunologic mechanism of alopecia areata is not definitely confirmed although alopecia areata is regarded as a disease occuring from certain immunologic process. T lymphocyte infiltration in and around hair follicle demonstrated by many investigators and frequent detection of nonspecific autoantibodies in the serum of patients with alopecia areata suggest that certain systemic factors are related to the development of alopecia areata. But, the changes of T lymphocyte of the peripheral blood in patients with alopecia areata is not confirmed despite of many investigations
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to determine the changes of T lymphocyte of the peripheral blood in the patients with alopecia areata compared with normal control subjects and to compare T lymphocyte subsets(CD3, CD4,CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio and CD1) based on activity, extent and duration of disease within patients with alopecia areata.
METHODS
We performed analysis of T lymphocyte subsets of the peripheral blood in 38 patients with alopecia areata and 307 normal control subjects using flow cytometry. The patients with alopecia areata were sublivided into active and stable based on activity, into patchy, diffuse and alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis based on severity and into less t.han one year and more than one year based on duration and T lymphocyte subsets were compared according to subdivision. RESULT: In the patients with alopecia areata, total T lymphocyte, helper/inducer T lymphocyte and suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocyte were decreased and helper/suppressor ratio and CD1 were increased compared with normal control subjects(p<0.001). CD1 was increased in active alopecia areata compared with stable alopecia areata(p<0.05). But, there were no significant differences in total T lymphocyte, helper/inducer T lymphocyte, suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocyte and helper/suppressor ratio between active and stable alopecia areata(p>0.05). Also, there were no significant differences in total t lymphocyte, helper/inducer T lymphocyte suppressor / cytotoxic T lymphocyte, helper/suppressor ratio and CD1 compared based on extent and duration of disease(p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
From the above result it is suggested that the decrease of suppressor T lympho cyte is related to development of alopecia areata and CD1 is related to activity of disease.