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Interrelationships between Vitamin B 12 and Folic Acid in Myelomatosis: Cobalamin Coenzyme and Tetrahydrofolic Acid Function
Author(s) -
Hansen Ole Paaske,
Drivsholm Aage,
Hippe Erik,
Quadros Edward,
Linnell John C.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0036-553X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1978.tb02468.x
Subject(s) - cobalamin , methylcobalamin , excretion , medicine , methionine , endocrinology , chemistry , folic acid , vitamin b12 , multiple myeloma , homocysteine , vitamin , biochemistry , amino acid
Cobalamin and folate metabolism was investigated in 43 patients with myelomatosis, in 8 control subjects of similar age and 22 younger controls. Plasma total cobalamin was lower in myeloma patients than in either of the control groups and methylcobalamin (Me‐Cbl) was disproportionately reduced. Erythrocyte levels of total cobalamin were very similar in patients and elderly controls but were half the levels in younger controls. Erythrocyte levels of Me‐Cbl were slightly higher in patients than in the elderly controls. FIGLU excretion after L‐histidine was elevated in 53 % of the patients but values did not correlate with serum or erythrocyte folate or with plasma total cobalamin. FIGLU excretion decreased after DL‐methionine or Me‐Cbl only in patients whose FIGLU excretion was initially high. The results are discussed in the light of the ‘methylfolate trap hypothesis’ and suggest that some patients with myelomatosis have insufficient activity of methionine synthetase to meet the additional metabolic demand for one carbon compounds.