Microarray mRNA expression analysis of Fanconi anemia fibroblasts.

Fanconi anemia (FA) cells are generally hypersensitive to DNA cross-linking agents, implying that mutations in the different <i>FANC</i> genes cause a similar DNA repair defect(s). By using a customized cDNA microarray chip for DNA repair- and cell cycle-associated genes, we identified three genes, cathepsin B (<i>CTSB</i>), glutaredoxin (<i>GLRX</i>), and polo-like kinase 2 (<i>PLK2</i>), that were misregulated in untreated primary fibroblasts from three unrelated FA-D2 patients, compared to six controls. Quantitative real-time RT PCR was used to validate these results and to study possible molecular links between FA-D2 and other FA subtypes.…