Abstract
Background: The clinical characteristics and pathomechanism for immune-mediated alopecia following COVID-19 vaccinations are not clearly characterized. Objective: We investigated the causality and immune mechanism of COVID-19 vaccines-related alopecia areata (AA). Study design: 27 new-onset of AA patients after COVID-19 vaccinations and 106 vaccines-tolerant individuals were enrolled from multiple medical centers for analysis. Results: The antinuclear antibody, total IgE, granulysin, and PARC/CCL18 as well as peripheral eosinophil count were significantly elevated in the patients with COVID-19 vaccines-related AA compared with those in the tolerant individuals (P = 2.03 × 10−5-0.039). In vitro lymphocyte activation test revealed that granulysin, granzyme B, and IFN-γ released from the T cells of COVID-19 vaccines-related AA patients could be significantly increased by COVID-19 vaccine excipients (polyethylene glycol 2000 and polysorbate 80) or spike protein (P = 0.002–0.04). Conclusions: Spike protein and excipients of COVID-19 vaccines could trigger T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, which contributes to the pathogenesis of immune-mediated alopecia associated with COVID-19 vaccines.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 109737 |
| Pages (from-to) | 109737 |
| Journal | Clinical Immunology |
| Volume | 255 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 10 2023 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.Keywords
- Alopecia areata
- Autoimmune disease
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Granulysin
- Lymphocyte activation test
- Polyethylene glycol
- Spike protein
- Vaccination/adverse effects
- Humans
- Alopecia Areata/etiology
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
- COVID-19
- COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects