Development and Therapeutic Evaluation of a Uniform Lymph Node Cell Transfer Model of Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by non-scarring hair loss driven by cytotoxic T cell–mediated attack on hair follicles. GemPharmatech developed a lymph node cell (LNC) transfer–induced AA mouse model on the C3H background, in which recipients develop alopecia accompanied by increased infiltration of CD3+, CD8+, and NKG2D+ cells and upregulation of MHCI. This model recapitulates key features of autoimmune pathology and demonstrates responsiveness to Ritlecitinib and Tacrolimus, both of which promote hair regrowth and reduce inflammatory markers. Together, these findings establish a robust and reproducible preclinical platform for studying AA pathogenesis and evaluating therapeutic candidates.