Fig. 1
From: Folate deficiency as predisposing factor for childhood leukaemia: a review of the literature
The relationship between folic acid deficiency and the genomic instability. Low levels of folic acid interfere with the normal biological functions of the cell, compromising the genomic stability for both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Folic acid deficiency affects the synthesis of nucleotides, causing DNA damage that cannot be repaired efficiently because of an overall decrease in the nucleotide availability. As methyl donors, the unavailability of folates can alter DNA methylation, causing changes in gene expression and compromising the integrity of chromosomes. Deprivation of folic acid also causes oxidative stress in the cell with consequences affecting the integrity of mitochondrial DNA