MODULATING THE EFFECTS OF GAMMA-C-CYTOKINE SIGNALING FOR THE TREATMENT OF ALOPECIA AND ALOPECIA ASSOCIATED DISORDERS

1 . A composition, comprising:

a therapeutic compound in an amount sufficient to modulate signaling by at least one γc-cytokine family member, thereby inhibiting, ameliorating, reducing a severity of, treating, delaying the onset of, or preventing at least one alopecia related disorder; and

a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier;

wherein the therapeutic compound is a c cytokine antagonist peptide;

wherein the c cytokine antagonist peptide shares at least 90% identity with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 (BNZ- ).

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one alopecia related disorder is selected from the group consisting of alopecia, pemphigus, pemphigoid, psoriasis, vitiligo, graft-versus-host disease, and immune-mediated hair loss.

3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide comprises 19 to 50 amino acids.

4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide further comprises a conjugate at the N-termini, C-termini, side residues, or a combination thereof.

5 . The compositions of claim 4 , wherein the conjugate comprises one or more additional moieties selected from the group consisting of bovine serum albumin (BSA), albumin, Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), Fc region of IgG, a biological protein that functions as scaffold, an antibody against a cell-specific antigen, a receptor, a ligand, a metal ion, and Poly Ethylene Glycol (PEG).

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide further comprises a signal peptide.

7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide comprises a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 .

8 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide shares at least about 95% identity with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 1.

9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is formulated for topical, oral, or parenteral delivery.

10 . A method of designing a γc-cytokine antagonist peptide configured to modulate and/or block signaling by at least one γc-cytokine family member that inhibits, ameliorates, reduces a severity of, treats, delays the onset of, or prevents at least one alopecia related disorder, the method comprising the steps of:

using a computer to obtain from an amino acid sequence database amino acid sequences of at least one a γc-cytokine family member; and

assembling a γc cytokine antagonist peptide based on a sequence of the at least one γc-cytokine family member;

wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide modulates and/or blocks signaling by the at least one γc-cytokine family member;

wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide shares at least about 90% identity with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 (BNZ-γ).

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide comprises 19 to 50 amino acids.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide further comprises a conjugate at the N-termini, C-termini, side residues, or a combination thereof.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide further comprises a signal peptide.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide shares at least about 95% identity with a peptide of SEQ ID NO: 1.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the γc cytokine antagonist peptide comprises a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.

16 . A kit for inhibiting, ameliorating, reducing a severity of, treating, delaying the onset of, or preventing at least one alopecia related disorder comprising:

a composition according to claim 1 .

17 . The kit of claim 16 , wherein the at least one alopecia related disorder is selected from the group consisting of alopecia, pemphigus, pemphigoid, psoriasis, vitiligo, graft-versus-host disease, and immune-mediated hair loss.