Abnormally low UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in cells from a patient with hydroa vacciniforme

Skin fibroblasts from a patient with the photosensitive disorder hydroa vacciniforme were tested in vitro for DNA repair capacity. The rate of ultraviolet light (254 nm)-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in these fibroblasts was found to be 51-59% of the rate found in 4 normal fibroblasts strains. The patient had none of the clinical signs of the classic DNA deficient disease, xeroderma pigmentosum.