Altered red cell membrane compositions related to functional vitamin B(12) deficiency manifested by elevated urine methylmalonic acid concentrations in patients with schizophrenia
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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

One-step Metabolomics: Carbohydrates, Organic and Amino Acids Quantified in a Single Procedure
Published on: June 25, 2010
Omer Ozcan1, Osman Metin Ipçioğlu, Mustafa Gültepe
1Department of Biochemistry, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, 81327 Usküdar, Istanbul, Turkey. ozcanmd@yahoo.com
Background:
Abnormal cell membrane composition and functional cobalamin (vitamin B(12)) deficiency was reported in schizophrenic individuals. We aimed to investigate the relationship between cobalamin state and cell membrane composition in patients with schizophrenia.
Methods:
Malondialdehyde (MDA), cholesterol, and phospholipid classes in the erythrocyte membranes of 18 schizophrenic and 20 healthy individuals of the same age and sex distribution were determined. Serum vitamin B(12), plasma total homocysteine, serum folate, and urine methylmalonic acid (uMMA) concentrations were measured in both groups.
Results:
In the schizophrenic group, uMMA, membrane MDA, membrane cholesterol, membrane phosphatidylinositol concentrations were significantly higher and the membrane phosphatidylserine concentrations were lower than the control group values. In schizophrenic individuals, uMMA concentrations have a significant positive correlation with membrane MDA and a negative correlation with membrane cholesterol concentrations (P<0.05). The negative correlation of uMMA with membrane cholesterol concentrations may be a biological response to the increased membrane rigidity. Also, a free radical elevation related to the elevated uMMA concentrations in the erythrocyte membrane, might reflect the role of methylmalonic acid (MMA) in membrane damage.
Conclusion:
Our present findings suggest that, functional vitamin B(12) deficiency representing itself by MMA elevations in schizophrenic individuals could damage cell membrane.
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