John Libbey Eurotext




Alopecia areata: genetic complexity underlies clinical heterogeneity
European Journal of Dermatology. Volume 17, Number 5, 367-74, September-October 2007, Review article
Free Article
Author(s) : Raghunandan Dudda-Subramanya, Andrew F Alexis, Kimberly Siu, Animesh A Sinha
Summary : Alopecia areata is a complex, non-scarring hair loss disease that affects approximately 1-2% of the population. The etiology of AA is unknown, although both genetic factors and environmental agents are thought to contribute to the immune disregulation leading to the final pathways of disease. Here, we examine the complex interplay of genetic and non-genetic factors that, no doubt, underpin the wide-ranging clinical expression of AA. We further discuss emerging strategies and tools that promise to better define the genetic basis of disease and reveal novel targets for next generation therapies.
Keywords : alopecia areata, genetics, HLA, microarray, autoimmunity

Alopecia areata: genetic complexity underlies clinical heterogeneity