E-SELECTIN AND INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR ALPHA-CHAIN EXPRESSION IN ALOPECIA UNIVERSALIS

A study of the histopathological abnormalities in a case of alopecia u niversalis was accompanied by immunohistochemical analysis of the expr ession of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and E-selectin (f ormerly known as endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1) within the skin. ICAM-1 expression on follicular epithelium co-localized with in traepithelial mononuclear cells (MNC) positive for the interleukin-2 r eceptor alpha-chain (IL-2R) or HLA-DR. Aberrant expression of E-select in was observed on dermal endothelium. Although restricted to one case , these new observations concerning the expression of E-selectin and I L-2R in alopecia universalis are consistent with the view that extrava scular trafficking of MNC into follicular epithelium may pray a key ro le in the pathogenesis of alopecia universalis and that use of agents that interfere with this process may be an effective therapeutic strat egy.