CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN-RELATED CELL-CELL ADHESION MOLECULE C-CAM ISGREATLY INCREASED IN SERUM AND URINE OF RATS WITH LIVER-DISEASES

C-CAM (rat cell CAM/human CD66a) is ubiquitous and multifunctional, It is involved in intercellular adhesion, signal transduction and cell g rowth inhibition. Structurally, it is related to the carcinoembryonic antigen. In the present study serum, bile and urine of rats with liver diseases were analyzed for the presence of cell CAM. After bile duct ligation and during galactosamine (GalN) hepatitis we found that large amounts of liver membrane-bound C-CAM are secreted or shed into blood . The serum level of another liver membrane-bound protein, LI-cadherin , is not increased. It was shown that C-CAM is also present in bile fl uid, and for the first time that C-CAM is present in the urine of rats with liver diseases. A particularly high concentration was measured i n the urine of rats suffering from GalN hepatitis, (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.