Folic acid supplementation dysregulates gene expression in lymphoblastoid cells

To prove our hypothesis that excess folic acid supplementation is responsible for widespread gene expression changes during gestational development that may be responsible for abnormal behaviors later on in the life, we have used whole genome microarray expression profiling in lymphoblstoid cells as a proof of concept. Human lymphoblastoid cells in culture were supplemented with folic acid, and four days later gene expression changes were measured. Expression of three genes (FMR1, GPR37L1 and TSSK3) from this data was confirmed by Western blot analyses. Dysregulation of other genes (ARHGAP6, EF1A1, MEST, SMAD3) was confirmed by qRT-PCR. Lymphoid cells at confluence were grown with or without folic acid for four days. Total mRNA was prepared and labeled with cyanine-3 (Cy3), followed by hybridization. RNA samples from three independent experiments were pooled.