Study of the gut microbiome and shared molecular signatures in alopecia areata and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
2025-05-16 10:17
Project goal: The purpose of this grant is to study the shared molecular signatures, gut microbiome alteration and its immune-targeted recognition in alopecia areata and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Project description: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder targeting anagen hair follicles and characterized by non-scarring hair loss. Among alopecia areata patients, an increased prevalence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) has been reported with potentially shared etiology involving autoantibodies. Besides, no studies involving the gut microbiome have been conducted to distinguish the alteration in AA with and without HT. Thus, the current research aims to investigate the shared molecular signatures, gut microbiome alteration and its immune-targeted recognition in AA with and without HT, and to develop novel treatment approaches to modulate and improve the disease outcome.
Project facilitators: PI: Zhussipbek Mukhatayev Nurlubek Katkenov Artur Kovenskiy Almagul Kushugulova Samat Kozhakhmetov Nurislam Mukhanbetzhanov Symbat Seidulla
Realisation period: 2023-2025
Expected results: at least 3 (three) articles and (or) reviews in peer-reviewed scientific publications indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded Web of Science (SCIE, WoS) database and (or) having a CiteScore percentile in the Scopus database of at least 35 (thirty five); Presumably: “Frontiers in Microbiology” (IF=6.064; Scopus percentile=82%; WoS-Q1); “Frontiers in Immunology” (IF=8.787; Scopus percentile=81%; WoS – Q1). - or at least 2 (two) articles and (or) reviews in peer-reviewed scientific publications indexed in the SCIE WoS database and (or) having a CiteScore percentile in the Scopus database of at least 35 (thirty five), and not less than 1 (one) patent included in the Derwent Innovations Index database (WoS, Clarivate Analytics); - as well as at least 1 (one) article or review in a peer-reviewed foreign or domestic publication recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education (CQASHE); - or at least 2 (two) articles and (or) reviews in peer-reviewed scientific publications indexed in the SCIE and included in the 1 (first) and (or) 2 (second) quartile by impact factor in the WoS database and (or) having a CiteScore percentile in the Scopus database of at least 65 (sixty-five); - or at least 1 (one) article or review in a peer-reviewed scientific publication indexed in the SCIE and included in the 1st (first) quartile by impact factor in the WoS database and (or) having a CiteScore percentile in the Scopus database not less than 80 (eighty).
Methodology: To investigate epitope-level autoantibodies within the entire human proteome and study the gut microbiome alteration and its immune-targeted recognition in AA with and without HT. First, we will screen for the presence of epitope-level autoantibodies within the entire human proteome using high-throughput antibody profiling platform (PhIP-Seq technology – HuScan TM ). We will perform this task at CDI Laboratories Inc (Baltimore, MD, USA). Second, we will study the alteration in the gut microbiota composition in AA with/without HT using 16S rRNA sequencing technology. Third, we will investigate the immune-targeted gut microorganisms in AA patients with and without HT.