Probing Substrate Transport Effects on Enzymatic Hydrogen Catalysis: An Alternative Proton Transfer Pathway in Putatively Sensory [FeFe] Hydrogenase.

[FeFe] hydrogenases, metalloenzymes catalyzing proton/dihydrogen interconversion, have attracted intense attention due to their remarkable catalytic properties and (bio-)technological potential for a future hydrogen economy. In order to unravel the factors enabling their efficient catalysis, both their unique organometallic cofactors and protein structural features, i.e., "outer-coordination sphere" effects have been intensively studied. These structurally diverse enzymes are divided into distinct phylogenetic groups, denoted as Group A-D. Prototypical Group A hydrogenases display high turnover rates (104-105 s-1). Conversely, the sole characterized Group D representative, Thermoanaerobacter mathranii HydS (TamHydS), shows relatively low catalytic activity (specific activity 10-1 µmol H2 mg-1 min-1) and has been proposed to serve a H2-sensory function. The various groups of [FeFe] hydrogenase share the same catalytic cofactor, the H-cluster, and the structural factors causing the diverging reactivities of Group A and D remain to be elucidated. In the case of the highly active Group A enzymes, a well-defined proton transfer pathway (PTP) has been identified, which shuttles H+ between the enzyme surface and the active site. In Group D hydrogenases, this conserved pathway is absent. Here, we report on the identification of highly conserved amino acid residues in Group D hydrogenases that constitute a possible alternative PTP. We varied two proposed key amino acid residues of this pathway (E252 and E289, TamHydS numbering) via site-directed mutagenesis and analyzed the resulting variants via biochemical and spectroscopic methods. All variants displayed significantly decreased H2-evolution and -oxidation activities. Additionally, the variants showed two redox states that were not characterized previously. These findings provide initial evidence that these amino acid residues are central to the putative PTP of Group D [FeFe] hydrogenase. Since the identified residues are highly conserved in Group D exclusively, our results support the notion that the PTP is not universal for different phylogenetic groups in [FeFe] hydrogenases.

GPR182 limits antitumor immunity via chemokine scavenging in mouse melanoma models.

For many solid tumors, immune checkpoint blockade therapy has become first line treatment, yet a large proportion of patients with immunologically cold tumors do not benefit due to the paucity of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Here we show that the orphan G Protein-Coupled Receptor 182 (GPR182) contributes to immunotherapy resistance in cancer via scavenging chemokines that are important for lymphocyte recruitment to tumors. GPR182 is primarily upregulated in melanoma-associated lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) during tumorigenesis, and this atypical chemokine receptor endocytoses chemokines promiscuously. In GPR182-deficient mice, T cell infiltration into transplanted melanomas increases, leading to enhanced effector T cell function and improved antitumor immunity. Ablation of GPR182 leads to increased intratumoral concentrations of multiple chemokines and thereby sensitizes poorly immunogenic tumors to immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive cellular therapies. CXCR3 blockade reverses the improved antitumor immunity and T cell infiltration characteristic of GPR182-deficient mice. Our study thus identifies GPR182 as an upstream regulator of the CXCL9/CXCL10/CXCR3 axis that limits antitumor immunity and as a potential therapeutic target in immunologically cold tumors.

Adjuvant Therapy for Stage III Melanoma Without Immediate Completion Lymph Node Dissection.

INTRODUCTION: For patients with stage III melanoma with occult lymph node metastasis, the use of adjuvant therapy is increasing, and completion lymph node dissection (CLND) is decreasing. We sought to evaluate the use of modern adjuvant therapy and outcomes for patients with stage III melanoma who did not undergo CLND. METHODS: Patients with a positive SLNB from 2015 to 2020 who did not undergo CLND were evaluated retrospectively. Nodal recurrence, recurrence-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and melanoma-specific survival were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 90 patients, 56 (62%) received adjuvant therapy and 34 (38%) underwent observation alone. Patients who received adjuvant therapy were younger (mean age: 53 vs. 65, p < 0.001) and had higher overall stage (Stage IIIb/c 75% vs. 54%, p = 0.041). Disease recurred in 12 of 34 patients (35%) in the observation group and 11 of 56 patients (20%) in the adjuvant therapy group. The most common first site of recurrence was distant recurrence alone (5/34 patients) in the observation group and nodal recurrence alone (8/90 patients) in the adjuvant therapy group. Despite more adverse nodal features in the adjuvant therapy group, 24-month nodal recurrence rate and RFS were not significantly different between the adjuvant and observation cohorts (nodal recurrence rate: 26% vs. 20%, p = 0.68; RFS: 75% vs. 61%, p = 0.39). Among patients with stage IIIb/c disease, adjuvant therapy was associated with a significantly improved 24-month DMFS (86% vs. 59%, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In this early report, modern adjuvant therapy in patients who forego CLND is associated with longer DMFS among patients with stage IIIb/c disease.

The GPR171 pathway suppresses T cell activation and limits antitumor immunity.

The recently identified G-protein-coupled receptor GPR171 and its ligand BigLEN are thought to regulate food uptake and anxiety. Though GPR171 is commonly used as a T cell signature gene in transcriptomic studies, its potential role in T cell immunity has not been explored. Here we show that GPR171 is transcribed in T cells and its protein expression is induced upon antigen stimulation. The neuropeptide ligand BigLEN interacts with GPR171 to suppress T cell receptor-mediated signalling pathways and to inhibit T cell proliferation. Loss of GPR171 in T cells leads to hyperactivity to antigen stimulation and GPR171 knockout mice exhibit enhanced antitumor immunity. Blockade of GPR171 signalling by an antagonist promotes antitumor T cell immunity and improves immune checkpoint blockade therapies. Together, our study identifies the GPR171/BigLEN axis as a T cell checkpoint pathway that can be modulated for cancer immunotherapy.

Induction Chemotherapy Plus Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation for Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with concurrent radiotherapy (nCRT) is an accepted treatment regimen for patients with potentially curable esophageal and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether induction chemotherapy (IC) before nCRT is associated with improved pathologic complete response (pCR) and overall survival (OS) when compared with patients who received nCRT alone for esophageal and GEJ adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), patients who received nCRT and curative-intent esophagectomy for esophageal or GEJ adenocarcinoma from 2006 to 2015 were included. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy start dates were used to define cohorts who received IC before nCRT (IC + nCRT) versus those who only received concurrent nCRT before surgery. Propensity weighting was conducted to balance patient, disease, and facility covariates between groups. RESULTS: 12,460 patients met inclusion criteria, of whom 11,880 (95%) received nCRT and 580 (5%) received IC + nCRT. Following propensity weighting, OS was significantly improved among patients who received IC + nCRT versus nCRT (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.74-0.92; p < 0.001) with median OS for the IC + nCRT cohort of 3.38 years versus 2.45 years for nCRT. For patients diagnosed from 2013 to 2015, IC + nCRT was also associated with higher odds of pCR compared with nCRT (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.14-2.21; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: IC + nCRT was associated with a significant OS benefit as well as higher pCR rate in the more modern patient cohort. These results merit consideration of a sufficiently powered prospective multiinstitutional trial to further evaluate these observed differences.

Neoadjuvant Treatment in Pancreatic Cancer.

Thanks to the development of modern chemotherapeutic regimens, survival after surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has improved and pancreatologists worldwide agree that the treatment of PDAC demands a multidisciplinary approach. Neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) plays a major role in the treatment of PDAC since only about 20% of patients are considered resectable at the time of diagnosis. Moreover, increasing data demonstrating the benefits of NAT for borderline resectable/locally advanced PDAC are driving a shift from up-front surgery to NAT in the multidisciplinary treatment of even resectable PDAC. Our understanding of the role of NAT in PDAC has evolved from tumor shrinkage to controlling potential micrometastases and selecting patients who may benefit from radical resection. The present review gives an overview on the current literature of NAT concepts for BR/LA PDAC and resectable PDAC.

Hypoxia with 18F-fluoroerythronitroimidazole integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography (18F-FETNIM PET/CT) in locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer: Hypoxia changes during chemoradiotherapy and impact on clinical outcome.

Hypoxia is a well-recognized biological characteristic to therapy resistance and negative prognostic factor in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study aims to investigate the changes of hypoxia measured by F-fluoroerythronitroimidazole (FETNIM) uptake on integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) during chemoradiotherapy and its prognostic value of clinical outcome in locoregionally advanced HNSCC.Thirty-two patients with locoregionally advanced HNSCC who received definitive treatment with concurrent chemoradiotherapy underwent FETNIM PET/CT scans before and after 5 weeks of treatment. The intensity of hypoxia using the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was evaluated both on primary lesion and metastatic lymph node (MLN). The pre-SUVmax and mid-SUVmax were defined as SUVmax on pre- and mid-FETNIM PET/CT. The local control (LC), regional control (RC), distant metastatic-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS) were collected in patient follow-ups.Mid-SUVmax decreased significantly both in the primary tumor (t = 8.083, P < .001) and MLN (t = 6.808, P < .001) compared to pre-SUVmax. With a median follow-up of 54 months, the 5-year LC, RC, DMFS, and OS rates were 55%, 66.7%, 64.7%, and 55%, respectively, for all of the patients. On univariate analysis, patients with high pre-SUVmax in primary tumor had significantly worse LC (56.3% vs 87.5%, P = .046) and OS (43.8% vs 87.5%, P = .023) than other patients. Patients with high mid-SUVmax had significantly worse DMFS (50% vs 84.6%, P = .049) and OS (33.3% vs 73.1%, P = .028) than other patients. The tumor grade and mid-SUVmax were the significant predictors of OS on multivariate analysis.In this study, hypoxia in tumor significantly decreased during chemoradiotherapy. The persistent hypoxia predicted poor OS. The data provided evidence that FETNIM PET/CT could be used dynamically for selecting appropriate patients and optimal timing of hypoxia-adapted therapeutic regimens.

The Dps4 from Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 is a member of His-type FOC containing Dps protein class that can be broadly found among cyanobacteria.

Dps proteins (DNA-binding proteins from starved cells) have been found to detoxify H2O2. At their catalytic centers, the ferroxidase center (FOC), Dps proteins utilize Fe2+ to reduce H2O2 and therefore play an essential role in the protection against oxidative stress and maintaining iron homeostasis. Whereas most bacteria accommodate one or two Dps, there are five different Dps proteins in Nostoc punctiforme, a phototrophic and filamentous cyanobacterium. This uncommonly high number of Dps proteins implies a sophisticated machinery for maintaining complex iron homeostasis and for protection against oxidative stress. Functional analyses and structural information on cyanobacterial Dps proteins are rare, but essential for understanding the function of each of the NpDps proteins. In this study, we present the crystal structure of NpDps4 in its metal-free, iron- and zinc-bound forms. The FOC coordinates either two iron atoms or one zinc atom. Spectroscopic analyses revealed that NpDps4 could oxidize Fe2+ utilizing O2, but no evidence for its use of the oxidant H2O2 could be found. We identified Zn2+ to be an effective inhibitor of the O2-mediated Fe2+ oxidation in NpDps4. NpDps4 exhibits a FOC that is very different from canonical Dps, but structurally similar to the atypical one from DpsA of Thermosynechococcus elongatus. Sequence comparisons among Dps protein homologs to NpDps4 within the cyanobacterial phylum led us to classify a novel FOC class: the His-type FOC. The features of this special FOC have not been identified in Dps proteins from other bacterial phyla and it might be unique to cyanobacterial Dps proteins.

Class Id ribonucleotide reductase utilizes a Mn2(IV,III) cofactor and undergoes large conformational changes on metal loading.

Outside of the photosynthetic machinery, high-valent manganese cofactors are rare in biology. It was proposed that a recently discovered subclass of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), class Id, is dependent on a Mn2(IV,III) cofactor for catalysis. Class I RNRs consist of a substrate-binding component (NrdA) and a metal-containing radical-generating component (NrdB). Herein we utilize a combination of EPR spectroscopy and enzyme assays to underscore the enzymatic relevance of the Mn2(IV,III) cofactor in class Id NrdB from Facklamia ignava. Once formed, the Mn2(IV,III) cofactor confers enzyme activity that correlates well with cofactor quantity. Moreover, we present the X-ray structure of the apo- and aerobically Mn-loaded forms of the homologous class Id NrdB from Leeuwenhoekiella blandensis, revealing a dimanganese centre typical of the subclass, with a tyrosine residue maintained at distance from the metal centre and a lysine residue projected towards the metals. Structural comparison of the apo- and metal-loaded forms of the protein reveals a refolding of the loop containing the conserved lysine and an unusual shift in the orientation of helices within a monomer, leading to the opening of a channel towards the metal site. Such major conformational changes have not been observed in NrdB proteins before. Finally, in vitro reconstitution experiments reveal that the high-valent manganese cofactor is not formed spontaneously from oxygen, but can be generated from at least two different reduced oxygen species, i.e. H2O2 and superoxide (O 2·- ). Considering the observed differences in the efficiency of these two activating reagents, we propose that the physiologically relevant mechanism involves superoxide.

Differential biochemical properties of three canonical Dps proteins from the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme suggest distinct cellular functions.

DNA-binding proteins from starved cells (Dps, EC: 1.16.3.1) have a variety of different biochemical activities such as DNA-binding, iron sequestration, and H2O2 detoxification. Most bacteria commonly feature one or two Dps enzymes, whereas the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme displays an unusually high number of five Dps proteins (NpDps1-5). Our previous studies have indicated physiological differences, as well as cell-specific expression, among these five proteins. Three of the five NpDps proteins, NpDps1, -2, and -3, were classified as canonical Dps proteins. To further investigate their properties and possible importance for physiological function, here we characterized and compared them in vitro Nondenaturing PAGE, gel filtration, and dynamic light-scattering experiments disclosed that the three NpDps proteins exist as multimeric protein species in the bacterial cell. We also demonstrate Dps-mediated iron oxidation catalysis in the presence of H2O2 However, no iron oxidation with O2 as the electron acceptor was detected under our experimental conditions. In modeled structures of NpDps1, -2, and -3, protein channels were identified that could serve as the entrance for ferrous iron into the dodecameric structures. Furthermore, we could demonstrate pH-dependent DNA-binding properties for NpDps2 and -3. This study adds critical insights into the functions and stabilities of the three canonical Dps proteins from N. punctiforme and suggests that each of the Dps proteins within this bacterium has a specific biochemical property and function.

Protein engineering of α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase for improved isobutanol production in Synechocystis PCC 6803.

Protein engineering is a powerful tool to modify e.g. protein stability, activity and substrate selectivity. Heterologous expression of the enzyme α-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase (Kivd) in the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803 results in cells producing isobutanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol, with Kivd identified as a potential bottleneck. In the present study, we used protein engineering of Kivd to improve isobutanol production in Synechocystis PCC 6803. Isobutanol is a flammable compound that can be used as a biofuel due to its high energy density and suitable physical and chemical properties. Single replacement, either Val461 to isoleucine or Ser286 to threonine, increased the Kivd activity significantly, both in vivo and in vitro resulting in increased overall production while isobutanol production was increased more than 3-methyl-1-butanol production. Moreover, among all the engineered strains examined, the strain with the combined modification V461I/S286T showed the highest (2.4 times) improvement of isobutanol-to-3M1B molar ratio, which was due to a decrease of the activity towards 3M1B production. Protein engineering of Kivd resulted in both enhanced total catalytic activity and preferential shift towards isobutanol production in Synechocystis PCC 6803.

Tyrozine D oxidation and redox equilibrium in photosystem II.

Tyrosine D (TyrD) is an auxiliary redox active tyrosine residue in photosystem II (PSII). The mechanism of TyrD oxidation was investigated by EPR spectroscopy, flash-induced fluorescence decay and thermoluminescence measurements in PSII enriched membranes from spinach. PSII membranes were chemically treated with 3mM ascorbate and 1mM diaminodurene and subsequent washing, leading to the complete reduction of TyrD. TyrD oxidation kinetics and competing recombination reactions were measured after a single saturating flash in the absence and presence of DCMU (inhibitor of the QB-site) in the pH range of 4.7-8.5. Two kinetic phases of TyrD oxidation were observed by the time resolved EPR spectroscopy - the fast phase (msec-sec time range) and the pH dependent slow phase (tens of seconds time range). In the presence of DCMU, TyrD oxidation kinetics was monophasic in the entire pH range, i.e. only the fast kinetics was observed. The results obtained from the fluorescence and thermoluminescence analysis show that when forward electron transport is blocked in the presence of DCMU, the S2QA- recombination outcompetes the slow phase of TyrD oxidation by the S2 state. Modelling of the whole complex of these electron transfer events associated with TyrD oxidation fitted very well with our experimental data. Based on these data, structural information and theoretical considerations we confirm our assignment of the fast and slow oxidation kinetics to two populations of PSII centers with different water positions (proximal and distal) in the TyrD vicinity.

The protonation state around TyrD/TyrD• in photosystem II is reflected in its biphasic oxidation kinetics.

The tyrosine residue D2-Tyr160 (TyrD) in photosystem II (PSII) can be oxidized through charge equilibrium with the oxygen evolving complex in PSII. The kinetics of the electron transfer from TyrD has been followed using time-resolved EPR spectroscopy after triggering the oxidation of pre-reduced TyrD by a short laser flash. After its oxidation TyrD is observed as a neutral radical (TyrD•) indicating that the oxidation is coupled to a deprotonation event. The redox state of TyrD was reported to be determined by the two water positions identified in the crystal structure of PSII [Saito et al. (2013) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 110, 7690]. To assess the mechanism of the proton coupled electron transfer of TyrD the oxidation kinetics has been followed in the presence of deuterated buffers, thereby resolving the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of TyrD oxidation at different H/D concentrations. Two kinetic phases of TyrD oxidation - the fast phase (msec-sec time range) and the slow phase (tens of seconds time range) were resolved as was previously reported [Vass and Styring (1991) Biochemistry 30, 830]. In the presence of deuterated buffers the kinetics was significantly slower compared to normal buffers. Furthermore, although the kinetics were faster at both high pH and pD values the observed KIE was found to be similar (~2.4) over the whole pL range investigated. We assign the fast and slow oxidation phases to two populations of PSII centers with different water positions, proximal and distal respectively, and discuss possible deprotonation events in the vicinity of TyrD.

Definitive chemoradiation for primary oral cavity carcinoma: A single institution experience.

OBJECTIVES: While surgery with or without adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) is the standard of care for oral cavity cancer (OCC), a select group requires nonsurgical treatment. We provide a single-institution experience using definitive chemotherapy and RT for primary OCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 73 patients with previously untreated, non-metastatic primary OCC treated definitively from 1990 to 2011. There were 39 male and 34 female, with a median age of 63 years (range, 35-89). The disease distribution was Stage I and II (7% each), Stage III (14%), and Stage IV (73%). Oral tongue was the most common (48%), followed by floor of mouth (19%), retromolar trigone (13.7%), and others (8.2%). Median tumor dose was 70 Gy. Sixty-two percent of patients (n=45) were treated with concurrent chemotherapy, predominantly platinum-based. RESULTS: Median follow-up among surviving patients was 73.1 months (interquartile range 14.2-81.4 months). Actuarial 5-year overall survival was 15%. Incidences of locoregional and distant failures were 41.1% and 20.5%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier estimated 5-year rates of locoregional control and freedom from distant metastasis were 37% and 70%, respectively. Mucositis was the most common ⩾Grade 3 acute toxicity (49%). Incidences of Grade 3 late dysphagia and trismus were 15% and 13%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates over 20 years of experience using definitive chemoradiation for OCC at our institution. Our results illustrate the challenges in treating patients with advanced disease who are not surgical candidates, and the need for adequate and early treatment to prevent distant disease and improve survival outcomes.

Irradiation for locoregionally recurrent, never-irradiated oral cavity cancers.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to report the clinical outcomes and related prognostic factors of patients who underwent radiotherapy (RT) for the treatment of recurrent, never-irradiated oral cavity cancer (recurrent OCC). METHODS: The records of consecutive patients with nonmetastatic recurrent OCC who presented to and were treated with RT at our institution between 1989 and 2011 were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate overall survival (OS). The cumulative incidences of disease-specific death, local failure, regional failure, and distant metastasis were calculated with death as a competing risk. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-three patients were identified. Median follow-up for living patients was 54 months and 16 months for all patients. Ninety-one patients had salvage surgery followed by adjuvant RT. Definitive RT was utilized in the remaining 32 patients. The 5-year OS was 40%. The 5-year cumulative incidence of disease-specific death, local failure, regional failure, and distant metastasis was 55%, 34%, 22%, and 20%, respectively. Recurrent T classification and lack of salvage surgery were independently associated with worse disease-specific death and decreased OS, respectively. Subset analysis of patients who underwent salvage surgery demonstrated that age, recurrent T classification, and perineural invasion (PNI) were independently associated with decreased OS; recurrent T classification and thicker tumors were independently associated with worse disease-specific death; and positive/close margins and primary T classification were independently associated with increased local failure. CONCLUSION: In this group of patients with recurrent OCC, clinical outcomes were similar or improved when compared with other recurrent OCC-specific reports. In the salvage surgery subset, tumor thickness and PNI are recurrent pathologic features associated with outcomes that were only previously demonstrated in studies of primary disease. Because of the relatively worse outcomes in patients receiving definitive or adjuvant RT for recurrent OCC, we advocate for the appropriate use of postoperative RT in the initial management of oral cavity cancers.

Patients with low lying lymph nodes are at high risk for distant metastasis in oropharyngeal cancer.

PURPOSE: We sought to identify risk factors for distant metastasis (DM) in patients with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) and perform a recursive partition analysis (RPA) to identify patients both at low and high risk for DM. METHODS: Our center treated 647 consecutive OPC patients with IMRT between 9/98 and 1/12. The following clinical features were used as prognostic factors: T Stage, N Stage, smoking history, tumor grade, tumor sub-site, the presence of a low lying (level IV or VB) lymph node (LLLN). A Cox model of the risk of DM was used to identify independent prognostic factors. RPA was used to identify patients at low, intermediate, and high risk for DM. RESULTS: The median follow-up time in living patients was 42.2months (range: 2-166). The primary OPC site was the tonsil in 296 patients, base of tongue in 315 patients, and soft palate or pharyngeal wall in 36 patients. For the entire cohort, the Kaplan-Meier estimate for 3year freedom from distant metastasis was 88.4%. A Cox model identified T Stage (p<0.001), N Stage (p=0.02), and LLLN (p=0.002) as independent predictors of DM. RPA identified patients at low, intermediate, and high risk of DM, with a 3-year freedom-from DM of 98%, 91.1%, and 65.4% respectively. CONCLUSION: The presence of a low lying lymph node is significantly associated with an increased risk of DM in OPC. RPA identified patients both at very low and very high risk for DM with information routinely obtained in clinic.

Water in Photosystem II: structural, functional and mechanistic considerations.

Water is clearly important for the functioning of Photosystem II (PSII). Apart from being the very substrate that needs to be transported in this water oxidation enzyme, water is also vital for the transport of protons to and from the catalytic center as well as other important co-factors and key residues in the enzyme. The latest crystal structural data of PSII have enabled detailed analyses of the location and possible function of water molecules in the enzyme. Significant progress has also been made recently in the investigation of channels and pathways through the protein complex. Through these studies, the mechanistic significance of water for PSII is becoming increasingly clear. An overview and discussion of key aspects of the current research on water in PSII is presented here. The role of water in three other systems (aquaporin, bacteriorhodopsin and cytochrome P450) is also outlined to illustrate further points concerning the central significance that water can have, and potential applications of these ideas for continued research on PSII. It is advocated that water be seen as an integral part of the protein and far from a mere solvent.

Split electron paramagnetic resonance signal induction in Photosystem II suggests two binding sites in the S2 state for the substrate analogue methanol.

Illuminating a photosystem II sample at low temperatures (here 5-10 K) yields so-called split signals detectable with continuous wave-electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR). These signals reflect the oxidized, deprotonated radical of D1-Tyr161 (YZ(•)) in a magnetic interaction with the CaMn4 cluster in a particular S state. The intensity of the split EPR signals are affected by the addition of the water substrate analogue methanol. This was previously shown by the induction of split EPR signals from the S1, S3, and S0 states [Su, J.-H. et al. (2006) Biochemistry 45, 7617-7627.]. Here, we use two split EPR signals induced from photosystem II trapped in the S2 state to further probe the binding of methanol in an S state dependent manner. The signals are induced with either visible or near-infrared light illumination provided at 5-10 K where methanol cannot bind or unbind from its site. The results imply that the binding of methanol not only changes the magnetic properties of the CaMn4 cluster but also the hydrogen bond network in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC), thereby affecting the relative charge of the S2 state. The induction mechanisms for the two split EPR signals are different resulting in two different redox states, S2YZ(•) and S1YZ(•) respectively. The two states show different methanol dependence for their induction. This indicates the existence of two binding sites for methanol in the CaMn4 cluster. It is proposed that methanol binds to MnA with high affinity and to MnD with lower affinity. The molecular nature and S-state dependence of the methanol binding to each respective site are discussed.

High-dose-rate intraoperative brachytherapy and radical surgical resection in the management of recurrent head-and-neck cancer.

PURPOSE: To report long-term outcomes of high-dose-rate (HDR) intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) at the time of radical resection for recurrent head-and-neck cancer and determine potential prognostic factors. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 7/1998 and 11/2011, 57 patients with recurrent head-and-neck cancer underwent radical resection with curative intent and single-fraction IORT to 59 sites using a Harrison-Anderson-Mick applicator with remotely after-loaded (192)Ir HDR brachytherapy. RESULTS: One- and 3-year in-field progression-free survival (IFPFS) was 67% and 57%, respectively. In a multivariate model, IORT dose >15Gy (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.11; p = 0.02), and prerecurrence disease-free interval >12 months (HR = 0.29; p = 0.04) independently predicted for superior IFPFS; nodal extracapsular extension (HR = 4.62; p = 0.003) predicted for inferior IFPFS. Three-year overall survival (OS) was 50% vs. 32% in those achieving in-field control vs. those not achieving in-field control (p = 0.04). Grade 3+ toxicity occurred in 37% and was unrelated to IORT dose. CONCLUSIONS: HDR-IORT combined with radical surgical resection is associated with durable IFPFS and long-term overall survival in select patients with acceptable treatment-related morbidity. IORT dose >15Gy should be used to increase the likelihood of disease control. The ability to achieve in-field local control in this poor prognostic cohort was associated with improved survival outcomes.