CD8+ T-Cells Breach Hair Follicle Immune Privilege
Placeholder: T-cells infiltrate the bulb and disrupt privilege.
- Collapsed: Immune privilege status (placeholder short caption)
- Elevated: CD8+ NKG2D+ T-cells (placeholder short caption)
- Upregulated: MHC class I exposure (placeholder short caption)
- Patchy: Affected scalp area (placeholder short caption)
Follicle immune privilege collapse
Placeholder: privilege signals fail, T-cells recognize the bulb.
Placeholder highlight: attack begins at the anagen bulb.
CD8+ T-cell recruitment
Placeholder: cytotoxic T-cells cluster densely around the follicle.
Interferon-Gamma Fuels the JAK1/JAK2–STAT Amplification Loop
Placeholder: IFN-gamma triggers a self-reinforcing signaling loop.
- IFN-γ: Key cytokine (placeholder short caption)
- JAK1 / JAK2: Kinases engaged (placeholder short caption)
- STAT1: Transcription factor (placeholder short caption)
- Self-amplifying: Loop behavior (placeholder short caption)
Receptor to kinase signaling
Placeholder: IFN-gamma receptor activates paired JAK kinases.
STAT dimerization and nucleus entry
Placeholder: phosphorylated STAT dimers drive chemokine gene transcription.
Placeholder highlight: chemokines recruit even more T-cells.
JAK Inhibitor Docks Into the Kinase ATP-Binding Pocket
Placeholder: small-molecule inhibitor blocks JAK enzyme activity.
- Baricitinib / Ritlecitinib: Example drugs (placeholder short caption)
- JAK ATP pocket: Target site (placeholder short caption)
- Oral, daily: Route (placeholder short caption)
- Weeks: Onset of effect (placeholder short caption)
Competitive kinase inhibition
Placeholder: inhibitor outcompetes ATP at the catalytic site.
Dose-dependent pathway blockade
Placeholder: higher dose suppresses more JAK-STAT signaling.
Interferon-Gamma Signaling Halts, Attack Subsides
Placeholder: broken loop lets follicle immune privilege recover.
- Suppressed: STAT phosphorylation (placeholder short caption)
- Falling: Chemokine output (placeholder short caption)
- Declining: T-cell density (placeholder short caption)
- Re-expressing: Privilege markers (placeholder short caption)
Chemokine withdrawal
Placeholder: fewer signals mean fewer recruited T-cells arrive.
Privilege marker re-expression
Placeholder: bulb regains immune-suppressive signaling molecules.
Placeholder highlight: follicle re-enters a normal growth cycle.
Hair Regrowth Over Months — and the Need for Maintenance Therapy
Placeholder: bald patches regrow gradually across months of dosing.
- ~3 months: Visible regrowth onset (placeholder short caption)
- ~6–12 months: Substantial regrowth (placeholder short caption)
- Common: Relapse if stopped (placeholder short caption)
- Ongoing: Therapy duration (placeholder short caption)
Follicle cycle re-entry
Placeholder: dormant follicles re-enter anagen growth phase.
Why therapy must continue
Placeholder: stopping treatment risks the attack resuming.
Placeholder highlight: maintenance dosing sustains regrowth long-term.