Martins LT, Frigeri HR, de Castro CCS, et al. - The frequent co‐occurrence of autoimmune diseases with vitiligo supports the hypothesis that vitiligo has an autoimmune basis. Further, various genetic loci linked with vitiligo were identified harboring key immune response genes. Researchers here sought to test their general hypothesis that there is role of autoimmunity‐associated genes in the control of vitiligo susceptibility. For this purpose, they investigated correlation between vitiligo and genes CYP27B1, REL, TNFAIP3 and IL2/IL21, all previously related to autoimmune diseases associated with vitiligo. Two independent population samples were used in this study: a family‐based discovery set (211 trios), and a replication set (131 cases/119 controls). Findings revealed statistically significant correlation with vitiligo between markers of the REL and IL2 gene in the family‐based sample. Both correlation signals were concentrated among cases displaying autoimmune comorbidity and non‐segmental vitiligo. For IL2 marker, they identified evidence for validation. Findings thereby suggest REL and IL2 as new vitiligo susceptibility genes and strengthens the hypothesis of a shared genetic mechanism controlling vitiligo and other autoimmune diseases.