Genetic polymorphisms of interleukin-12, interleukin-17 and the interleukin-23 receptor in alopecia areata

J Int Med Res. 2015 May 27. pii: 0300060514549784. [Epub ahead of print]

Although a strong genetic basis of alopecia areata is now an established fact, the search for the specific genes responsible for the disease is still under way. Known candidate genes that trigger the disease are those linked to the immune system and involved in other autoimmune diseases. Aytekin et al. focused on exactly such genes and compared the frequency of IL12, IL17 and IL23R polymorphisms in patients with alopecia areata and in a healthy control group. No link was found between IL12 or IL23R polymorphisms and alopecia areata, while the IL17 polymorphism was much more frequent in patients with alopecia areata, although only in a small number of them. This study is one more confirmation of the immunopathogenesis of alopecia areata; hopefully it will be followed by others that shed light on the different pathways involved in the disease.