June 2, 2025 • 12 mins
Ada G, a student at Detroit Country Day, explores vitiligo, an autoimmune condition that causes the skin to lose its color and develop lighter patches, known as macules. Ada got interested in this topic after seeing her grandmother experience vitiligo, which sparked her curiosity about the biology and genetics behind it. She discusses how vitiligo affects about 1% of the population, regardless of race or age, and how it can sometimes indicate other autoimmune diseases. She also explores the various treatment options available, from topical creams to light therapy, while emphasizing that, unfortunately, there’s no permanent cure just yet. As Ada wraps up, she touches on some promising future developments in treatment and the importance of embracing vitiligo as part of one’s unique identity.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:05):
Hello and welcome to ADAAutoimmune Diseases with AYDA Episode
2.
I am your host, Ada, a studentin Ms.
Tawny's AP Biology class.
I know it's pretty thickskinned of me to name my podcast
related to my name, but todaywe're doing a deep dive into the
skin condition vitiligo.
What it is, the biology behindit, its genetic involvement, and
(00:27):
possible treatment options.
With that being said, let'shop right into the world of vitiligo.
So what even is vitiligo?
Vitiligo is an autoimmunedisease or condition that causes
the skin to lose color orpigmentation, forming lighter color
areas called macules on theskin, which are like the white patches.
(00:49):
I first became interested inthe topic of vitiligo after my grandma
started to develop thisdepigmentation on her skin.
Seeing this condition onsomeone I am so close to, combined
with my passion for biology,caused me to become curious and ask
questions as to why this was happening.
Now that I've given anoverview of vitiligo a little bit,
(01:10):
let's go into a deeper dive ofthe disease and the biology behind
it.
Vitiligo is a rare disease,only affecting 1% of the population,
though it is more obvious onindividuals with darker skin tone.
Vitiligo affects all races,sexes and ages equally.
Many times, though, the whitepatches are visible before age 30.
But in my grandma's case, hersstarted when she was about 70 years
(01:33):
old, so it's different for everyone.
People who have otherautoimmune diseases such as anemia,
type 1 diabetes and lupus, aremore likely to also have vitiligo.
So vitiligo can actually be anindicator for other autoimmune diseases.
Vitiligo usually starts with afew white patches and then spreads
(01:54):
around the body.
According to the ClevelandClinic, common starting points include
the hand, arms, feet or face.
But it can really developanywhere in one's body, for example
in their mucous membranes.
Larger patches usually stay inthe same place for years, while smaller
patches tend to spread quicker.
There are many different typesof vitiligo, each affecting different
(02:16):
parts of the body.
Generalized vitiligo isexactly what it sounds like, where
macules appear in randomplaces around the body.
Segmental vitiligo onlyaffects one side of the body or just
one area.
Mucosal vitiligo affects themucous membranes such as the mouth
and or the reproductive parts.
Trichome vitiligo creates abullseye pattern with a depigmented
(02:38):
center surrounded by an areaof one's natural skin tone, which
is surrounded by anotherdepigmented area.
Universal vitiligo, which isvery rare, causes more than 80% of
one's skin to be depigmented.
So now we've covered a littlebit more about vitiligo, how it spreads
and some of its types.
You may be wondering whatexactly causes vitiligo.
(03:01):
So I want to re emphasize thatvitiligo is an autoimmune disease,
which means that one's ownbody is doing something that attacks
itself.
Specifically, vitiligo happenswhen the body destroys its own melanocytes,
which are cells that producemelanin on the pigment that we see
on other people's skin.
Since there will be fewercells that can produce this melanin,
(03:22):
less of the melanin will beproduced, causing depigmentation
on the skin of vitiligo patients.
However, the reason why thebody does this is still unknown to
scientists these days.
Vitiligo can be caused by avariety of factors, making it difficult
to pinpoint what exactlycauses one's vitiligo.
It can be caused by theenvironment, such as exposure to
(03:44):
UV radiation or toxicchemicals that can change melanocyte
pathways and function.
Stress has also been linked tovitiligo, especially after some sort
of injury to the skin.
Vitiligo can also be genetic,where according to the central dogma
of biology, a genetic mutationin the melanocyte DNA can affect
the proteins being translated,which can then affect melanocyte
(04:07):
function and then melanin production.
There are over 30 genes thatcan increase the risk of developing
vitiligo.
According to a journal articleby Richard Spritz and Genevieve Anderson
titled Genetics of Vitiligo,some of These genes include PTPN22,
PTPRC, CTLA4SLA, and IL2RA.
(04:31):
Those are some of the genesthat regulate T lymphocyte function
which are affected by vitiligo.
And essentially T lymphocyteshelp the body recognize foreign cells
and attack them.
Other vitiligo affected genesinclude Re, FasLG, Bcl2l11, Bach2,
(04:53):
Nek6 and Casp7.
And these genes regulateapoptosis, which is when a cell causes
itself to explode.
So the themes here that we'reseeing with a lot of these genes
are cytotoxic T lymphocytes orcytotoxic T cells and apoptosis.
So lets explore the biologybehind how these topics are related
(05:16):
in the context of Vitiligousing Concepts of Reception, Transduction
and response so according to ajournal article titled Pathoimmunological
Mechanisms of Vitiligo, stressmelanocytes release damage associated
molecular patterns calleddamps, which are recognized by pattern
recognition receptors orimmune cells like dendritic cells.
(05:40):
After reception, transductionoccurs through signaling cascades
that in response activatethese cytotoxic T cells.
These T cells makeinflammatory cytokines like perforins
and granzymes, causingapoptosis of melanocytes which will
then lead to vitiligo becausethere will be less melanin produced
now that we know a little bitmore about vitiligo and its biological
(06:02):
implications, let's play Truthor Myth?
The rules are simple.
I'm going to say a statement,give you a couple seconds to lock
in your answer and thenexplain whether the statement is
true or is just a myth.
Feel free to play along withme or just listen and learn.
People with darker skin aremore likely to get vitiligo.
(06:29):
That is a myth becausevitiligo affects everyone equally
and is independent of skin color.
Number two, someone withanemia has a higher chance of also
developing vitiligo.
That is true because due toits autoimmune nature, these conditions
(06:53):
and the genes behind them canbe connected.
Number three, vitiligo can becured using skin supplements or specialized
creams.
That is a myth becausecurrently vitiligo has no direct
(07:13):
cure yet.
This is a good transition intoour next topic, which is the applications
or implications that come withthis disease.
Even if there's no cure yet,there are still some treatment options
that can serve as a moretemporary solution.
According to the AmericanAcademy of Dermatology, vitiligo
(07:34):
can be treated usingprescription medications, creams,
light therapy or surgical options.
In the category of creams.
Corticosteroids are used forpeople who have recently developed
vitiligo.
It can only be used for ashort amount of time though because
of its burning side effects.
Another is tacrolimusointment, which can be used for a
(07:57):
longer time than corticosteroids.
It is most commonly used onthe skin and neck.
Calcipiotrine is also anotherdrug that is paired with the corticosteroid
to create a synergisticeffect, increasing repigmentation
in a smaller time window.
A newer type of vitiligomedication are JAK inhibitors, mostly
for non segmental vitiligo.
(08:18):
In smaller areas.
Vitiligo patients alsosometimes undergo light therapy.
Light Therapy involvesexposing skin to a type of UV light
that can restore natural skin color.
If the area of repigmentationneeded is large, parents may do photo
if the area of repigmentationis large, patients may do phototherapy.
(08:42):
For smaller areas,dermatologists recommend laser therapy
that can target specificareas, though laser therapy is often
a lot more expensive thangeneral light therapy and phototherapy.
Light therapy is a processthat happens slowly.
Many times it is coupled withother treatments or cream options
to make the process quicker.
There are also pill medicationoptions, though it is not very common.
(09:06):
Prednisone, a type ofcorticosteroid that comes in pill
form, can also help slow thedevelopment of vitiligo.
Sometimes.
If all other treatments fail,surgery could be an option.
There are two types, skingraft and cell transplant.
A skin graft involves movingsome healthy pigmented cells and
transplanting them into areasof depigmentation.
(09:28):
Cell transplants involvetaking healthy cells and inserting
them into the areas withvitiligo or the areas with depigmentation.
Repigmentation from surgerycan take up to six months to one
year and is not recommendedfor people who are prone to scarring.
Yet I would still like tounderscore that none of these fixes
are permanent and existingtreatment options have their limitations.
(09:52):
Oftentimes, patients need toget retreated because repigmentation
attempts were not permanent.
As an example, according to astudy by Northwestern University,
only 30% of patients who usethe JAK inhibitor cream regain 70%
or more skin repigmentation.
However, science as a field ischaracterized by its innovation.
(10:13):
As we learn more andtechnology becomes more advanced,
we can answer some of theseburning questions about the diseases
and the life around us.
A recent article published byNorthwestern University suggests
using microbial therapy tocombat pigment loss from vitiligo.
Dr.
Caroline Lapoul, professor ofdermatology and microbiology immunology
(10:34):
at Northwestern's FeinbergSchool of Medicine, suggests microbial
therapy can help patients whodo not regain pigmentation effectively
with existing treatments.
She conducted a study thatexposed microbial products to mice
who are prone to vitiligo.
By the end of the experiment,depigmentation was reduced by 74%
(10:55):
by reducing killer T cellsthat attack the skin's pigment that
we talked about in our biologyconnection and increasing protective
regulatory T cells instead.
The next steps of the studyare to refine this compound further
and to be able to implementthis to humans, preferably in a cream
form that can be easily applied.
(11:15):
Currently, though, there is nocure for vitiligo or ways to fully
and effectively reverse its effects.
Most people with vitiligo justchoose to live with it like my grandma
does as they becomecomfortable with their own skin and
seeing their skin as beautyrather than an anomaly, promoting
vitiligo positivity andembracing it as a part of their uniqueness
(11:36):
before we close out today'sepisode, after last week I received
a question from a learnerasking about genetic involvement
in pathfroregulation inParkinson's disease.
This is a perfect questionbecause in our next episode, which
you should definitely checkout, we will be exploring Parkinson's
disease through our biologydeep dive.
Before I head off to theconclusion, I want to give a shout
(11:58):
out to this podcast listeners.
Thank you for sticking with mein each episode and submitting questions,
and I hope you enjoyedlearning about autoimmune diseases
just as much as I do.
All in all, in this episode wecovered what vitiligo was, some of
the biology behind it and thefuture of vitiligo treatment, as
well as some fun facts about vitiligo.
(12:20):
If you enjoyed this episode,be sure to subscribe and share this
podcast with your friends.
Join us in our next episodewhere our topic will be Parkinson's
Disease.
Thank you again for joining meon this skin tilating discussion.
Until next time, ADA out.
Hello and welcome to ADAAutoimmune Diseases with AYDA Episode
2.
I am your host, Ada, a studentin Ms.
Tawny's AP Biology class.
I know it's pretty thickskinned of me to name my podcast
related to my name, but todaywe're doing a deep dive into the
skin condition vitiligo.
What it is, the biology behindit, its genetic involvement, and
(00:27):
possible treatment options.
With that being said, let'shop right into the world of vitiligo.
So what even is vitiligo?
Vitiligo is an autoimmunedisease or condition that causes
the skin to lose color orpigmentation, forming lighter color
areas called macules on theskin, which are like the white patches.
(00:49):
I first became interested inthe topic of vitiligo after my grandma
started to develop thisdepigmentation on her skin.
Seeing this condition onsomeone I am so close to, combined
with my passion for biology,caused me to become curious and ask
questions as to why this was happening.
Now that I've given anoverview of vitiligo a little bit,
(01:10):
let's go into a deeper dive ofthe disease and the biology behind
it.
Vitiligo is a rare disease,only affecting 1% of the population,
though it is more obvious onindividuals with darker skin tone.
Vitiligo affects all races,sexes and ages equally.
Many times, though, the whitepatches are visible before age 30.
But in my grandma's case, hersstarted when she was about 70 years
(01:33):
old, so it's different for everyone.
People who have otherautoimmune diseases such as anemia,
type 1 diabetes and lupus, aremore likely to also have vitiligo.
So vitiligo can actually be anindicator for other autoimmune diseases.
Vitiligo usually starts with afew white patches and then spreads
(01:54):
around the body.
According to the ClevelandClinic, common starting points include
the hand, arms, feet or face.
But it can really developanywhere in one's body, for example
in their mucous membranes.
Larger patches usually stay inthe same place for years, while smaller
patches tend to spread quicker.
There are many different typesof vitiligo, each affecting different
(02:16):
parts of the body.
Generalized vitiligo isexactly what it sounds like, where
macules appear in randomplaces around the body.
Segmental vitiligo onlyaffects one side of the body or just
one area.
Mucosal vitiligo affects themucous membranes such as the mouth
and or the reproductive parts.
Trichome vitiligo creates abullseye pattern with a depigmented
(02:38):
center surrounded by an areaof one's natural skin tone, which
is surrounded by anotherdepigmented area.
Universal vitiligo, which isvery rare, causes more than 80% of
one's skin to be depigmented.
So now we've covered a littlebit more about vitiligo, how it spreads
and some of its types.
You may be wondering whatexactly causes vitiligo.
(03:01):
So I want to re emphasize thatvitiligo is an autoimmune disease,
which means that one's ownbody is doing something that attacks
itself.
Specifically, vitiligo happenswhen the body destroys its own melanocytes,
which are cells that producemelanin on the pigment that we see
on other people's skin.
Since there will be fewercells that can produce this melanin,
(03:22):
less of the melanin will beproduced, causing depigmentation
on the skin of vitiligo patients.
However, the reason why thebody does this is still unknown to
scientists these days.
Vitiligo can be caused by avariety of factors, making it difficult
to pinpoint what exactlycauses one's vitiligo.
It can be caused by theenvironment, such as exposure to
(03:44):
UV radiation or toxicchemicals that can change melanocyte
pathways and function.
Stress has also been linked tovitiligo, especially after some sort
of injury to the skin.
Vitiligo can also be genetic,where according to the central dogma
of biology, a genetic mutationin the melanocyte DNA can affect
the proteins being translated,which can then affect melanocyte
(04:07):
function and then melanin production.
There are over 30 genes thatcan increase the risk of developing
vitiligo.
According to a journal articleby Richard Spritz and Genevieve Anderson
titled Genetics of Vitiligo,some of These genes include PTPN22,
PTPRC, CTLA4SLA, and IL2RA.
(04:31):
Those are some of the genesthat regulate T lymphocyte function
which are affected by vitiligo.
And essentially T lymphocyteshelp the body recognize foreign cells
and attack them.
Other vitiligo affected genesinclude Re, FasLG, Bcl2l11, Bach2,
(04:53):
Nek6 and Casp7.
And these genes regulateapoptosis, which is when a cell causes
itself to explode.
So the themes here that we'reseeing with a lot of these genes
are cytotoxic T lymphocytes orcytotoxic T cells and apoptosis.
So lets explore the biologybehind how these topics are related
(05:16):
in the context of Vitiligousing Concepts of Reception, Transduction
and response so according to ajournal article titled Pathoimmunological
Mechanisms of Vitiligo, stressmelanocytes release damage associated
molecular patterns calleddamps, which are recognized by pattern
recognition receptors orimmune cells like dendritic cells.
(05:40):
After reception, transductionoccurs through signaling cascades
that in response activatethese cytotoxic T cells.
These T cells makeinflammatory cytokines like perforins
and granzymes, causingapoptosis of melanocytes which will
then lead to vitiligo becausethere will be less melanin produced
now that we know a little bitmore about vitiligo and its biological
(06:02):
implications, let's play Truthor Myth?
The rules are simple.
I'm going to say a statement,give you a couple seconds to lock
in your answer and thenexplain whether the statement is
true or is just a myth.
Feel free to play along withme or just listen and learn.
People with darker skin aremore likely to get vitiligo.
(06:29):
That is a myth becausevitiligo affects everyone equally
and is independent of skin color.
Number two, someone withanemia has a higher chance of also
developing vitiligo.
That is true because due toits autoimmune nature, these conditions
(06:53):
and the genes behind them canbe connected.
Number three, vitiligo can becured using skin supplements or specialized
creams.
That is a myth becausecurrently vitiligo has no direct
(07:13):
cure yet.
This is a good transition intoour next topic, which is the applications
or implications that come withthis disease.
Even if there's no cure yet,there are still some treatment options
that can serve as a moretemporary solution.
According to the AmericanAcademy of Dermatology, vitiligo
(07:34):
can be treated usingprescription medications, creams,
light therapy or surgical options.
In the category of creams.
Corticosteroids are used forpeople who have recently developed
vitiligo.
It can only be used for ashort amount of time though because
of its burning side effects.
Another is tacrolimusointment, which can be used for a
(07:57):
longer time than corticosteroids.
It is most commonly used onthe skin and neck.
Calcipiotrine is also anotherdrug that is paired with the corticosteroid
to create a synergisticeffect, increasing repigmentation
in a smaller time window.
A newer type of vitiligomedication are JAK inhibitors, mostly
for non segmental vitiligo.
(08:18):
In smaller areas.
Vitiligo patients alsosometimes undergo light therapy.
Light Therapy involvesexposing skin to a type of UV light
that can restore natural skin color.
If the area of repigmentationneeded is large, parents may do photo
if the area of repigmentationis large, patients may do phototherapy.
(08:42):
For smaller areas,dermatologists recommend laser therapy
that can target specificareas, though laser therapy is often
a lot more expensive thangeneral light therapy and phototherapy.
Light therapy is a processthat happens slowly.
Many times it is coupled withother treatments or cream options
to make the process quicker.
There are also pill medicationoptions, though it is not very common.
(09:06):
Prednisone, a type ofcorticosteroid that comes in pill
form, can also help slow thedevelopment of vitiligo.
Sometimes.
If all other treatments fail,surgery could be an option.
There are two types, skingraft and cell transplant.
A skin graft involves movingsome healthy pigmented cells and
transplanting them into areasof depigmentation.
(09:28):
Cell transplants involvetaking healthy cells and inserting
them into the areas withvitiligo or the areas with depigmentation.
Repigmentation from surgerycan take up to six months to one
year and is not recommendedfor people who are prone to scarring.
Yet I would still like tounderscore that none of these fixes
are permanent and existingtreatment options have their limitations.
(09:52):
Oftentimes, patients need toget retreated because repigmentation
attempts were not permanent.
As an example, according to astudy by Northwestern University,
only 30% of patients who usethe JAK inhibitor cream regain 70%
or more skin repigmentation.
However, science as a field ischaracterized by its innovation.
(10:13):
As we learn more andtechnology becomes more advanced,
we can answer some of theseburning questions about the diseases
and the life around us.
A recent article published byNorthwestern University suggests
using microbial therapy tocombat pigment loss from vitiligo.
Dr.
Caroline Lapoul, professor ofdermatology and microbiology immunology
(10:34):
at Northwestern's FeinbergSchool of Medicine, suggests microbial
therapy can help patients whodo not regain pigmentation effectively
with existing treatments.
She conducted a study thatexposed microbial products to mice
who are prone to vitiligo.
By the end of the experiment,depigmentation was reduced by 74%
(10:55):
by reducing killer T cellsthat attack the skin's pigment that
we talked about in our biologyconnection and increasing protective
regulatory T cells instead.
The next steps of the studyare to refine this compound further
and to be able to implementthis to humans, preferably in a cream
form that can be easily applied.
(11:15):
Currently, though, there is nocure for vitiligo or ways to fully
and effectively reverse its effects.
Most people with vitiligo justchoose to live with it like my grandma
does as they becomecomfortable with their own skin and
seeing their skin as beautyrather than an anomaly, promoting
vitiligo positivity andembracing it as a part of their uniqueness
(11:36):
before we close out today'sepisode, after last week I received
a question from a learnerasking about genetic involvement
in pathfroregulation inParkinson's disease.
This is a perfect questionbecause in our next episode, which
you should definitely checkout, we will be exploring Parkinson's
disease through our biologydeep dive.
Before I head off to theconclusion, I want to give a shout
(11:58):
out to this podcast listeners.
Thank you for sticking with mein each episode and submitting questions,
and I hope you enjoyedlearning about autoimmune diseases
just as much as I do.
All in all, in this episode wecovered what vitiligo was, some of
the biology behind it and thefuture of vitiligo treatment, as
well as some fun facts about vitiligo.
(12:20):
If you enjoyed this episode,be sure to subscribe and share this
podcast with your friends.
Join us in our next episodewhere our topic will be Parkinson's
Disease.
Thank you again for joining meon this skin tilating discussion.
Until next time, ADA out.
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