Non-enzymatic covalent binding of radioactivity from [14C]thiourea to rat lung protein

In vitro covalent binding of radioactivity from [14C]thiourea (TU) to rat lung protein occurs in the presence of 100% CO2. Prior boiling of lung slices results in a subsequent increase in covalent binding. Covalently bound radioactivity was released from rat lung homogenates and acid-insoluble protein obtained from animals treated with [14C]TU. The release was achieved with ammonium ion. One possibility suggested by these results is that the bound species may involve binding of isothiocyanic acid via a thiocarbamylation reaction.