Significant increases in PSMB8 exon 2 allele A (P < 2.07 × 10<sup>-6</sup> , odds ratio 1·93) and genotypes AA (P < 1.03 × 10<sup>-6</sup> , odds ratio 2·51) and AC (P < 1.29 × 10<sup>-6</sup> , odds ratio 1·63) were observed in patients with vitiligo.
A significant decrease in expression of PSMB8 at both transcript level (p = 0.002) as well as protein level (p = 0.0460) was observed in vitiligo patients as compared to controls.
We also identify a shared VL-blood and -skin transcriptional "hot spot" that maps to chromosome 6, and includes three VL-blood dysregulated genes (PSMB8, PSMB9 and TAP1) described as potential VL-associated genetic susceptibility loci.