A natural compound derived from gut-friendly bacteria significantly slows the progression of vitiligo and may restore pigmentation, reports a new Northwestern University pre-clinical study in mice.
The findings could offer hope to millions affected by the autoimmune disease, which causes visible patches of skin discoloration and carries profound emotional and physical consequences.
The results in our model were astonishing. We found that administering a microbial compound weekly to vitiligo-prone mice significantly suppressed disease progression. It made a spectacular difference in an aggressive model of the disease.”
I. Caroline Le Poole, senior study author, professor of dermatology and microbiology-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
The study was recently published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
How the study was conducted
Le Poole and her colleagues administered a microbial product weekly to vitiligo-prone mice over an 18-week period. By the end, pigment loss on the mice’s backs was reduced by 74%.
The product reduced killer T cells that attack the skin’s pigment and increased protective regulatory T cells, which are typically scarce in vitiligo patients.
“This simple microbial compound could work as a standalone therapy, or in synergy with existing treatments,” Le Poole said.
Existing therapy has limitations
In 2022, the FDA approved the first re-pigmentation therapy for vitiligo: Opzelura (ruxolitinib) cream. Clinical trials found that only 30% of patients using the cream regained 75% or more skin re-pigmentation on the face.
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“Our findings about the effectiveness of microbial therapy could give hope to patients who are not well-served by existing