CEACAM1-LF, a homotypic cell adhesion adhesion molecule, transduces intracellular signals via a 72 amino acid cytoplasmic domain that contains two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIMs) and a binding site for β-catenin. Phosphorylation of Ser503 by PKC in rodent CEACAM1 was shown to affect bile acid transport or hepatosteatosis via the level of ITIM phosphorylation, but the phosphorylation of the equivalent residue in human CEACAM1 (Ser508) was unclear. Here we studied this analogous phosphorylation by NMR analysis of the ¹⁵N labeled cytoplasmic domain peptide. Incubation with a variety of Ser/Thr kinases revealed phosphorylation of Ser508 by GSK3bβ but not by PKC. The lack of phosphorylation by PKC is likely due to evolutionary sequence changes between the rodent and human genes. Phosphorylation site assignment by mass spectrometry and NMR revealed phosphorylation of Ser472, Ser461 and Ser512 by PKA, of which Ser512 is part of a conserved consensus site for GSK3β binding. We showed here that only after phosphorylation of Ser512 by PKA was GSK3β able to phosphorylate Ser508. Phosphorylation of Ser512 by PKA promoted a tight association with the armadillo repeat domain of β-catenin at an extended region spanning the ITIMs of CEACAM1. The kinetics of phosphorylation of the ITIMs by Src, as well dephosphorylation by SHP2, were affected by the presence of Ser508/512 phosphorylation, suggesting that PKA and GSK3β may regulate the signal transduction activity of human CEACAM1-LF. The interaction of CEACAM1-LF with β-catenin promoted by PKA is suggestive of a tight association between the two ITIMs of CEACAM1-LF.

The world-wide high incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is of concern for its progression to insulin resistance, steatohepatitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The increased uptake of fatty acids in critical organs plays a major role in NAFLD progression. Male Ceacam1^−/− mice that develop NAFLD, insulin resistance and CVD on normal chow are a potential model for studying the dysregulation of fatty acid uptake. [¹⁸F]fluoro-4-thia-oleate ([¹⁸F]FTO) was chosen as a fatty acid reporter because of its higher uptake and retention in the heart in an animal model of CVD. Male wild-type (WT) or Ceacam1^−/− mice fasted 4–6 h were administered [¹⁸F]FTO i.v., and dynamic PET scans were conducted in an MR/PET small animal imaging system along with terminal tissue biodistributions. Quantitative heart image analysis revealed significantly higher uptake at 35 min in Ceacam1^−/− (6.0 ± 1.0% ID/cc) vs. WT (3.9 ± 0.6% ID/cc) mice (p = 0.006). Ex vivo heart uptake/retention (% ID/organ) was 2.82 ± 0.45 for Ceacam1^−/− mice vs. 1.66 ± 0.45 for WT mice (p < 0.01). Higher kidney and pancreas uptake/retention in Ceacam1^−/− was also evident, and the excretion of [¹⁸F]FTO into the duodenum was observed for both WT and Ceacam1^−/− mice starting at 10 min. This study suggests that the administration of [¹⁸F]FTO as a marker of fatty acid uptake and retention may be an important tool in analyzing the effect of NAFLD on lipid dysregulation in the heart.

Three coordination polymers, {[CdI(DBBA)]∙0.5H₂O}_n (1, DBBA = 3,5-di(1Hbenzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)benzoate), [Cd(DBBA)(CH₃COO)]_n (2) and [Cd(DBBA)₂]_n (3), were obtained through reactions between Cd(II) salts and 3,5-di(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)benzoic acid under different pH conditions. Compounds 1 and 2 are 3-D frameworks with rtl topology based on different binuclear Cd(II) secondary building units. Compound 3 was formed at lower pH and showed a 1-D chain assembled with M₂L₂ ring units. Moreover, phase purities, thermal behaviors, and photoluminescent properties have also been investigated.