Although aluminosilicates and metal phosphates can form porous open-framework materials such as zeolites, sulfide analogs usually form high-density phases because of the relatively small tetrahedral angle at sulfur atoms. One strategy to overcome this limitation is to use tetrahedral clusters as the building blocks to achieve porous sulfide-based networks. The preparation and crystal structures of two indium sulfide open frameworks (ASU-31 and ASU-32) built of supertetrahedral clusters around organic template and water guests are described. ASU-31, based on the sodalite-tetrahedrite network, contains cavities 25.6 angstroms in diameter, and ASU-32, based on the tetragonal CrB4 network, contains channels with a minimum diameter of 14.7 angstroms. The organic cations can be completely exchanged with sodium ions in aqueous solution at room temperature without degradation of the crystals.

Radiation therapy (RT), a major modality for treating localized tumors, can induce tumor regression outside the radiation field through an abscopal effect that is thought to involve the immune system. Our studies were designed to understand the early immunological effects of RT in the tumor microenvironment using several syngeneic mouse tumor models. We observed that RT induced sterile inflammation with a rapid and transient infiltration of CD11b + Gr-1 high+ neutrophils into the tumors. RT-recruited tumor-associated neutrophils (RT-Ns) exhibited an increased production of reactive oxygen species and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. Tumor infiltration of RT-Ns resulted in sterile inflammation and, eventually, the activation of tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells, their recruitment into the tumor site, and tumor regression. Finally, the concurrent administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) enhanced RT-mediated antitumor activity by activating RT-Ns. Our results suggest that the combination of RT and G-CSF should be further evaluated in preclinical and clinical settings.radiation therapy | tumor-associated neutrophils | G-CSF

As a key cellular regulatory protein p53 is subject to tight regulation by several E3 ligases. Here, we demonstrate the role of HECT domain E3 ligase, WWP1, in regulating p53 localization and activity. WWP1 associates with p53 and induces p53 ubiquitylation. Unlike other E3 ligases, WWP1 increases p53 stability; inhibition of WWP1 expression or expression of a ligase-mutant form results in decreased p53 expression. WWP1-mediated stabilization of p53 is associated with increased accumulation of p53 in cytoplasm with a concomitant decrease in its transcriptional activities. WWP1 effects are independent of Mdm2 as they are seen in cells lacking Mdm2 expression. Whereas WWP1 limits p53 activity, p53 reduces expression of WWP1, pointing to a possible feedback loop mechanism. Taken together, these findings identify the first instance of a ubiquitin ligase that causes stabilization of p53 while inactivating its transcriptional activities.

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The abundance and activity of p53 are regulated largely by ubiquitin ligases. Here we demonstrate a previously undisclosed regulation of p53 localization and activity by Ubc13, an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. While increasing p53 stability, Ubc13 decreases p53 transcriptional activity and increases its localization to the cytoplasm, changes that require its ubiquitin-conjugating activity. Ubc13 elicits K63-dependent ubiquitination of p53, which attenuates Hdm2-induced polyubiquitination of p53. Ubc13 association with p53 requires an intact C-terminal domain of p53 and is markedly stronger with a p53 mutant that cannot tetramerize. Expression of Ubc13 in vivo increases the pool of monomeric p53, indicating that Ubc13 affects tetramerization of p53. Significantly, wild-type but not mutant Ubc13 is associated with polysomes and enriches p53 within this fraction. In response to DNA damage, Ubc13 is no longer capable of facilitating p53 monomerization, in part due to a decrease in its own levels which is p53 dependent. Our findings point to a newly discerned mechanism important in the regulation of p53 organization, localization, and activity by Ubc13.

With a better understanding of the cellular stress response, it has become evident that catalytic modules consisting of kinases that mediate the activation of downstream effector components are subject to multiple layers of regulation. Such regulatory mechanisms are not limited to those involving scaffold proteins or protein phosphatases, and they appear to include a growing number of modifications by ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins. The role of ubiquitin in the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) emerges as a paradigm for understanding the role of ubiquitination in regulating other signal transduction pathways. Ubiquitination influences signal diversification and limits the duration of the signal through its role in the assembly of protein kinase complexes, subcellular localization, and the actual degradation of the kinase or its substrate. This review summarizes our current understanding of the roles of ubiquitin in regulating MAPK signaling.

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The 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGHDC) (also known as the ␣-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the mitochondrial Krebs cycle. Here we report that the RING finger ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligase Siah2 binds to and targets OGDHC-E2 for ubiquitination-dependent degradation. OGDHC-E2 expression and activity are elevated in Siah2 ؊/؊ cells compared with Siah2 Siah was first identified in Drosophila melanogaster as seven in absentia (sina) (1, 2). Three murine (Siah1a, Siah1b, and Siah2) and two human (SIAH1 and SIAH2) homologues share significant homology (1, 2). The protein products of sina and Siah1a, Siah1b, and Siah2 are RING finger proteins with E3