We’re in the business of helping people restore their hair and appearance, so we couldn’t help but notice published research findings that demonstrated significant hair regrowth in alopecia patients. Individuals diagnosed with alopecia, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy hair follicles, can cause the loss of body hair. Columbia University researchers not only implicated a specific immune cell, namely CD8+NKG2D+ T cells, as a primary cause of alopecia, they successfully implemented a molecular treatment protocol to restore hair growth in both mice and humans. 
Alopecia Areata
Columbia University researchers, Raphael Clynes and Angela Christiano, repurposed a bone marrow disorder drug licensed in the United Kingdom to help restore the hair growth of three alopecia areata sufferers. It is reported that four to five million men and women have been diagnosed with alopecia in the United States alone. The researchers concluded that JAK 1/2 protein inhibitors, including ruxolitinib, tofacitinib and similar compounds currently in development, offer hope for those suffering from alopecia. Development of a safe and effective drug for the routine treatment of alopecia will require additional human studies.
The promising laboratory research also identified a number of signaling molecules that appear to be responsible for driving the T cell activity that produces the alopecia disease. In the study, three human participants diagnosed with moderate to severe alopecia areata experienced nearly normal hair growth after receiving ruxolitinib treatments for three to five months. The research findings are especially promising because there is presently no proven drug treatment for alopecia sufferers. It should also be mentioned that ruxolitinib has not been licensed for treating alopecia. This will require extensive clinical trials.
JAK Protein Inhibitors
The Columbia research findings, published in the online science journal, Nature Medicine, indicated that the hair follicles of alopecia sufferers send out erroneous signals to the immune system. The immune system then attacks the otherwise healthy follicles, resulting in loss of hair. JAK protein inhibitors, a relatively new class of drugs intended to treat diseases such as bone marrow cancer and Rheumatoid arthritis, seem to be effective at blocking the signaling process.
A total of 12 humans have received ruxolitinib treatments to date. Only the first three participants were included in the recently released study. Hair replacement treatment with ruxolitinib is still experimental, but Apollo Hair Restoration can provide effective surgical and non-surgical hair restoration services right now. Call 1-800-339-4247 to schedule a free hair restoration evaluation. Your appearance really does matter.
