Modulating the effects of gamma-c-cytokine signaling for the treatment of alopecia and alopecia associated disorders

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

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).