microneedle patch that can deliver immune-regulating molecules directly to the site of hair loss, which can help to stop the attack on hair follicles by T cells and ultimately promote hair regrowth. The new treatment has shown promising results in animal studies and could offer hope to those suffering from alopecia areata.
A microneedle patch has been developed to be painlessly applied to the scalp and release drugs that can help balance the immune response, stopping the autoimmune attack. Researchers found in a study with mice that this treatment allowed hair to regrow and significantly reduced inflammation at the treatment site without affecting the immune system elsewhere in the body. This approach could also be used to treat other autoimmune skin diseases such as vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis, according to the researchers. This new approach represents a shift in focus from suppressing the immune system to targeting the site of the autoimmune attack.Natalie Artzi, a principal research scientist at MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, along with Jamil R. Azzi, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, are focusing on immune tolerance. Their recent study is published in the journal Advanced Materials, with Nour Younis and Nuri being co-authors of the study. Artzi emphasizes the importance of regulating immune response at the antigen encounter site.Puigmal, a postdoc at Brigham and Women’s and former MIT research affiliate, and the primary authors of the paper are now working on establishing a company to further develop the technology. Puigmal, who recently received a Harvard Business School Blavatnik Fellowship, is leading the effort. This technology aims to address alopecia areata, a condition that affects over 6 million Americans, where the body’s own T cells attack hair follicles, causing hair loss. Currently, the only available treatment for most patients is painful injections of immunosuppressant steroids into the scalp, which many patients cannot tolerate.
At a meeting in Washington, Artzi sat next to Azzi and they discussed the use of immunosuppressant drugs to treat alopecia areata and other autoimmune skin diseases. Azzi advised against the use of these drugs due to the adverse side effects, such as widespread suppression of the immune system leading to increased risk of infections, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
The conversation was between a dermatologist and an immunologist and transplant physican who wanted to find new methods of delivering drugs directly to the skin to treat skin-related diseases.
As a result of their discussion, the two labs started working together on a microneedle patch for drug delivery to the skin. In 2021, they announced that this patch could be used to prevent rejection after skin transplant. Their latest research applies this approach to autoimmune skin disorders.
“The skin is the only organ that we can easily see and touch, yet when it comes to delivering drugs to the skin, we typically use systemic administration. We need a new approach.”Azzi expressed optimism about the potential of using microneedle patches to locally reprogram the immune system. The study utilized microneedle patches made from biocompatible hyaluronic acid crosslinked with polyethylene glycol (PEG), which are commonly used in medical applications. This delivery method allows drugs to penetrate the tough outer layer of the skin, overcoming the limitations of traditional skin creams. The polymer formulation used in the patches creates durable needles capable of effectively penetrating the skin, providing flexibility in their applications.”Using this patch, we can easily adjust the combination of cytokines to incorporate any desired drug,” states Artzi. In this particular research, the patches were filled with a combination of the cytokines IL-2 and CCL-22. These immune molecules work together to recruit regulatory T cells, which then multiply and help reduce inflammation. These cells also aid in teaching the immune system to recognize that hair follicles are not foreign antigens, preventing further attacks on them.
Hair regrowth
The study revealed that mice treated with the patch every other day for three weeks showed an increased presence of regulatory T cells at the treatment site, along with a decrease in inflammation. This led to hair regrowth.The researchers found that the microneedle treatment led to the regrowth of skin at the application sites, and this growth continued for weeks after the treatment was stopped. The levels of regulatory T cells in the spleen and lymph nodes of the mice did not change, indicating that the treatment only affected the site where the patch was applied.
In a different set of experiments, the researchers transplanted human skin onto mice with a humanized immune system. In these mice, the microneedle treatment also caused an increase in regulatory T cell proliferation and a decrease in inflammation.
The microneedle patches were designed to not only release their drug payload but also to promote the regeneration of skin at the application sites.lect samples that can be utilized for tracking the progress of the treatment. Hyaluronic acid causes the needles to increase in size by about ten times after they penetrate the skin. This allows them to soak up fluid from the skin that contains biomolecules and immune cells.
After removing the patch, scientists can examine the samples to determine the levels of regulatory T cells and markers of inflammation. This could be very useful for monitoring future patients who may undergo this treatment.
The researchers are now looking to further develop this method for treating alopecia and to expand into other autoimmune skin conditions.
The research was funded by.The Ignite Fund and Shark Tank Fund grants were awarded by the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
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