Why carry out this study?

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease affecting hair follicles, with inconsistent gene expression findings across studies.

A unified transcriptomic signature is needed to clarify disease mechanisms and guide therapy development.

What was learned from the study?

This meta-analysis integrates five datasets to define a robust core transcriptome of AA.

A total of 5109 differentially expressed genes were identified, surpassing overlaps seen in individual studies.

This meta-analysis confirmed known immune pathways (JAK-STAT, Th1/Th2/Th17, interferon) and uncovered novel genes linked to stress, metabolism, and immune regulation.

This study provides a reliable framework for biomarker discovery and therapeutic innovation.