Plasma membrane phospholipid and cholesterol distribution of skin fibroblasts from drug-naive patients at the onset of psychosis

Contents of plasma membrane major phospholipids, cholesterol, and cholesteryl esters of fibroblasts from drug-naive psychotic patients were compared with those from normal controls. Total membrane lipids were extracted and individual lipids were separated on high-performance thin-layer chromatography. The contents of lipid bands were quantitated by densitometric scanning and comparing with standards. Contents of total phospholipids as well as phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine were significantly lower in fibroblasts from patients than in those from normal controls (P<0.001, <0.005, <0.05, <0.05 respectively). Total cholesterol fraction and cholesteryl esters were also significantly lower in fibroblasts from patient (P <0.005, <0.001 respectively). These changes were not related to differences in age or sex. These data support the hypothesis that schizophrenia is associated with disordered membrane lipid metabolism, and that this predates the onset of psychosis.