Development of an animal model for alopecia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21242
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06125 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0802:Biomedical structure and function and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Tazaki Akira 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 講師 (80333326)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 円形脱毛症 / モデル動物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Alopecia areata is one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases. There are treatment methods such as topical steroids, oral steroids, local immunotherapy, and ultraviolet therapy, but there is no treatment that shows remarkable efficacy. Animal models are useful for establishing treatment methods. However, the conventional animal models that spontaneously develop alopecia areata has some problems such as taking long time to develop, have a low incidence rate, and cannot predict the site and time of onset. In this study, we developed an animal model that can easily develop alopecia areata at any location, range, and time with high reproducibility. We showed that this model resembles human alopecia areata at the macroscopic and histopathological levels.

Free Research Field

皮膚科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で開発した円形脱毛症モデル動物は、従来のモデルとは異なり短期間のうちに任意の位置・範囲で脱毛するところに特徴があり、脱毛症治療の評価系の確立に適している。また、この円形脱毛症モデル動物は発症後、自然治癒し毛髪が再生することから、再生過程の分子機構を明らかにすることによって革新的な円形脱毛症治療法を開発できる可能性を秘めている。