Modulation of the spontaneous G2 phase blockage in Fanconi anemia cells by caffeine: differences from cells arrested by X-irradiation.

The effect of caffeine on the endogenous G2 phase cell cycle blockage of Fanconi anemia (FA) cells was compared with the effect of caffeine on the G2 phase blockage induced in control cells by X-irradiation. The G2 phase accumulations in FA cells could be completely resolved by exposure to 1.5 mM caffeine. This was also observed in three brothers with endogenous G2 phase blockage due to unusual BrdU sensitivity. In contrast, G2 phase blockage induced by X-irradiation was only partially resolved by exposure to caffeine. The rescued G2 phase cells from FA patients were arrested within the following G1 phase compartments. This was not seen in X-irradiated cells from control donors. These results point towards a different nature and/or repair mechanism of the endogenous G2 phase lesion in FA cells compared to that induced by X-irradiation in control cells.