carbamylated

Carbamylated is an adjective describing a molecule that has undergone carbamylation, a chemical modification in which a carbamoyl group is covalently attached to a nucleophile such as an amino group. The most common reaction involves isocyanic acid reacting with amino groups on proteins, forming N-carbamoyl adducts that can over time lead to the formation of homocitrulline.

Carbamylation is typically non-enzymatic and driven by cyanate availability in the surrounding environment. It is enhanced in conditions with elevated urea turnover or cyanate production, such as chronic kidney disease, systemic inflammation, and exposure to cigarette smoke. As cyanate levels rise, more proteins, including serum albumin and other plasma proteins, can become carbamylated.

The presence of carbamylated proteins is often regarded as a form of protein modification that can influence charge, structure, stability, and function. Carbamylation can alter enzyme activity, receptor interactions, and antigenicity, potentially contributing to pathological processes. In medicine and research, higher levels of carbamylated proteins have been studied as biomarkers of uremia and cardiovascular risk in CKD patients, and protein carbamylation has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis in experimental models.

Detection and quantification of carbamylation rely on analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry, chromatographic methods, and antibodies against homocitrulline or carbamylated epitopes. The term carbamylated is used across biochemistry, pathology, and clinical research to describe molecules modified by this specific post-translational modification and its potential functional consequences.