New tyrosinases with putative action against contaminants of emerging concern.

Tyrosinases (EC 1.14.18.1) are type-3 copper metalloenzymes with strong oxidative capacities and low allosteric selectivity to phenolic and non-phenolic aromatic compounds, which have been used as biosensors and biocatalysts to mitigate the impacts of environmental contaminants over aquatic ecosystems. However, the widespread use of these polyphenol oxidases is limited by elevated production costs and restricted knowledge on their spectrum of action. Here, six tyrosinase homologs were identified and characterized from the genomes of four widespread freshwater ciliates using bioinformatics. Next, we performed a virtual screening to calculate binding energies between 3D models of these homologs and ~ 1000 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), as an indirect approach to identify likely and unlikely targets for tyrosinases. Many fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, illicit drugs, natural toxins, and pesticides exhibited strong binding energies to these new tyrosinases, suggesting the spectrum of targets of these enzymes might be considerably broader than previously thought. Many ciliates, including those carrying tyrosinase genes, are fast-growing unicellular microeukaryotes that can be efficiently cultured, at large scales, under in vitro conditions, suggesting these organisms should be regarded as potential low-cost sources of new environmental biotechnological molecules.

Anaerobic endosymbiont generates energy for ciliate host by denitrification.

Mitochondria are specialized eukaryotic organelles that have a dedicated function in oxygen respiration and energy production. They evolved about 2 billion years ago from a free-living bacterial ancestor (probably an alphaproteobacterium), in a process known as endosymbiosis1,2. Many unicellular eukaryotes have since adapted to life in anoxic habitats and their mitochondria have undergone further reductive evolution3. As a result, obligate anaerobic eukaryotes with mitochondrial remnants derive their energy mostly from fermentation4. Here we describe 'Candidatus Azoamicus ciliaticola', which is an obligate endosymbiont of an anaerobic ciliate and has a dedicated role in respiration and providing energy for its eukaryotic host. 'Candidatus A. ciliaticola' contains a highly reduced 0.29-Mb genome that encodes core genes for central information processing, the electron transport chain, a truncated tricarboxylic acid cycle, ATP generation and iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis. The genome encodes a respiratory denitrification pathway instead of aerobic terminal oxidases, which enables its host to breathe nitrate instead of oxygen. 'Candidatus A. ciliaticola' and its ciliate host represent an example of a symbiosis that is based on the transfer of energy in the form of ATP, rather than nutrition. This discovery raises the possibility that eukaryotes with mitochondrial remnants may secondarily acquire energy-providing endosymbionts to complement or replace functions of their mitochondria.

Prey Lysate Enhances Growth and Toxin Production in an Isolate of Dinophysis acuminata.

The physiological and toxicological characteristics of Dinophysis acuminata have been increasingly studied in an attempt to better understand and predict diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) events worldwide. Recent work has identified prey quantity, organic nitrogen, and ammonium as likely contributors to increased Dinophysis growth rates and/or toxicity. Further research is now needed to better understand the interplay between these factors, for example, how inorganic and organic compounds interact with prey and a variety of Dinophysis species and/or strains. In this study, the exudate of ciliate prey and cryptophytes were investigated for an ability to support D. acuminata growth and toxin production in the presence and absence of prey, i.e., during mixotrophic and phototrophic growth respectively. A series of culturing experiments demonstrated that the addition of ciliate lysate led to faster dinoflagellate growth rates (0.25 ± 0.002/d) in predator-prey co-incubations than in treatments containing (1) similar levels of prey but without lysate (0.21 ± 0.003/d), (2) ciliate lysate but no live prey (0.12 ± 0.004/d), or (3) monocultures of D. acuminata without ciliate lysate or live prey (0.01 ± 0.007/d). The addition of ciliate lysate to co-incubations also resulted in maximum toxin quotas and extracellular concentrations of okadaic acid (OA, 0.11 ± 0.01 pg/cell; 1.37 ± 0.10 ng/mL) and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1, 0.20 ± 0.02 pg/cell; 1.27 ± 0.10 ng/mL), and significantly greater total DSP toxin concentrations (intracellular + extracellular). Pectenotoxin-2 values, intracellular or extracellular, did not show a clear trend across the treatments. The addition of cryptophyte lysate or whole cells, however, did not support dinoflagellate cell division. Together these data demonstrate that while certain growth was observed when only lysate was added, the benefits to Dinophysis were maximized when ciliate lysate was added with the ciliate inoculum (i.e., during mixotrophic growth). Extrapolating to the field, these culturing studies suggest that the presence of ciliate exudate during co-occurring dinoflagellate-ciliate blooms may indirectly and directly exacerbate D. acuminata abundance and toxigenicity. More research is required, however, to understand what direct or indirect mechanisms control the predator-prey dynamic and what component(s) of ciliate lysate are being utilized by the dinoflagellate or other organisms (e.g., ciliate or bacteria) in the culture if predictive capabilities are to be developed and management strategies created.

Antarctic marine ciliates under stress: superoxide dismutases from the psychrophilic Euplotes focardii are cold-active yet heat tolerant enzymes.

Oxidative stress is a particularly severe threat to Antarctic marine polar organisms because they are exposed to high dissolved oxygen and to intense UV radiation. This paper reports the features of three superoxide dismutases from the Antarctic psychrophilic ciliate Euplotes focardii that faces two environmental challenges, oxidative stress and low temperature. Two out of these are Cu,Zn superoxide dismutases (named Ef-SOD1a and Ef-SOD1b) and one belongs to the Mn-containing group (Ef-SOD2). Ef-SOD1s and Ef-SOD2 differ in their evolutionary history, expression and overall structural features. Ef-SOD1 genes are expressed at different levels, with Ef-SOD1b mRNA 20-fold higher at the ciliate optimal temperature of growth (4 °C). All Ef-SOD enzymes are active at 4 °C, consistent with the definition of cold-adapted enzymes. At the same time, they display temperatures of melting in the range 50-70 °C and retain residual activity after incubation at 65-75 °C. Supported by data of molecular dynamics simulation, we conclude that the E. focardii SODs combine cold activity, local molecular flexibility and thermo tolerance.

Vertical shift in ciliate body-size spectrum and its environmental drivers in western Arctic pelagic ecosystems.

As an inherent functional trait, body-size spectrum is widely used as an informative indicator to summarize community structures in taxon-free space. The vertical shift in the body-size spectrum of pelagic ciliates and its environmental drivers were explored at eight depth layers from the water surface to a depth of 100 m in western Arctic pelagic ecosystems. A total of 85 samples were collected at 23 sampling stations during the summer sea-ice reduction period from August 5 to August 24, 2016. Based on equivalent spherical diameter (ESD), six body-size ranks were identified, of which ranks S2 (15-25 µm), S3 (26-38 µm), S4 (39-60 µm), and S6 (79-91 µm) were the top four levels in frequency of occurrence and ranks S2 and S3 were the dominant levels in abundance. The body-size spectrum of the ciliates showed a clear vertical shift, with a significant succession among the dominant body-size units from the water surface to deeper layers in the water column. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a significant vertical variation in the body-size spectrum of the ciliates among the eight depths, which was significantly correlated with nutrients (phosphate and nitrite + nitrate) and chlorophyll a (Chl a), alone or in combination with dissolved oxygen. Four body-size diversity/distinctness indices were significantly correlated with the levels of phosphate, nitrite + nitrate, ammonium, and Chl a. Our results demonstrated that the body-size spectrum of pelagic ciliates can be shifted by environmental drivers (mainly nutrients and Chl a); thus, we suggest that it may be used to indicate water quality status on a vertical scale in the water column in deep seas.

An Optimized Protocol of Protargol Staining for Ciliated Protozoa.

Protargol staining is a crucial method to reveal the infraciliature of ciliates, which is the most important morphological character for species identification. In the present study, Wilbert's protocol of protargol staining was emended mainly toward the highly happened improper bleaching. Through reciprocal treatments, both insufficient and excessive bleachings were much eliminated from the protargol protocol and the tests performed with four different species of ciliates established that the stainings were considerably improved and more reliable with optimized bleaching. Compared to the original protocol, the optimized method was proved to be more suitable for the groups difficult to stain, and it is also friendlier for the beginners and researchers in related fields.

Analysis of genes encoding high-antigenicity polypeptides in three serotypes of Miamiensis avidus.

The ciliate Miamiensis avidus causes scuticociliatosis in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. We previously reported three serotypes of this ciliate distinguishable by serotype-specific antigenic polypeptides (serotype I, 30kDa; serotype II, 38kDa; serotype III, 34kDa). In this study, we determined the localization site of the serotype-specific polypeptides in the ciliate and determined the genes encoding the polypeptides, using the isolates IyoI (serotype I), Nakajima (serotype II), and Mie0301 (serotype III). SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis of cilia, membrane proteins, and cytoskeletal elements of the ciliates revealed that the polypeptides were abundant in the former two. Scanning electron microscopy of ciliates immobilized by homologous antiserum showed morphological changes in the cilia. These evidences suggested that the polypeptides were ciliary membrane immobilization antigens. The ciliary genes identified showed low identity scores-<51.5% between serotypes. To differentiate the serotypes, we designed serotype-specific PCR primer sets based on the DNA sequences. The PCR-based serotyping results were completely consistent with conventional serotyping methods (immobilization assay and immunoblot analysis). Twenty of 21 isolates were classified as either serotype I or II, and one isolate was undistinguishable. The combination of species-specific PCR previously reported and three serotype-specific PCR could be useful for identifying, serotyping, and surveillance for occurrences of new serotypes of M. avidus.

Fluorescence lifetime microscopy reveals the biologically-related photophysical heterogeneity of oxyblepharismin in light-adapted (blue) Blepharisma japonicum cells.

The step-up photophobic response of the heterotrich ciliate Blepharisma japonicum is mediated by a hypericinic pigment, blepharismin, which is not present in any of the known six families of photoreceptors, namely rhodopsins, phytochromes, xanthopsins, cryptochromes, phototropins, and BLUF proteins. Upon irradiation, native cells become light-adapted (blue) by converting blepharismin into the photochemically stable oxyblepharismin (OxyBP). So far, OxyBP has been investigated mainly from a photophysical point of view in vitro, either alone or complexed with proteins. In this work, we exploit the vivid fluorescence of OxyBP to characterize its lifetime emission in blue B. Japonicum cells, on account of the recognized role of the fluorescence lifetime to provide physicochemical insights into the fluorophore environment at the nanoscale. In a biological context, OxyBP modifies its emission lifetime as compared to isotropic media. The phasor approach to fluorescence lifetime microscopy in confocal mode highlights that fluorescence originates from two excited states, whose relative balance changes throughout the cell body. Additionally, Cilia and kinetids, i.e., the organelles involved in photomovement, display lifetime asymmetry between the anterior and posterior part of the cell. From these data, some hypotheses on the phototransduction mechanism are proposed.

Breed and Lactation Stage Alter the Rumen Protozoal Fatty Acid Profiles and Community Structures in Primiparous Dairy Cattle.

The protozoal fatty acid (FA) composition and community structure are important to dairy cattle nutrition and their products. The purpose of the study was to observe if the rumen protozoal FA profiles and protozoal community structure differed by breed and lactation stage. At 93, 183, and 273 days in milk (DIM), whole rumen digesta samples were collected from seven co-housed Holstein (H), eight Jersey (J), and seven Holstein-Jersey crossbreed (C) cows. Rumen protozoal linoleic acid was higher at 183 DIM (8.1%) and 273 DIM (8.3%) than at 93 DIM (5.7%). Oleic acid was the most abundant protozoal unsaturated FA (10.1%). Protozoal rumenic acid and protozoa of the genus Metadinium were higher in J (9.9%) than in H (0.52%) and C (0.96%). Protozoa belonging to the genus Entodinium were more abundant in H (45.2%) than in J (23.4%) and C (30.2%). In conclusion, breed and DIM affected several protozoal FAs and genera.

New Comparative Analysis Based on the Secondary Structure of SSU-rRNA Gene Reveals the Evolutionary Trend and the Family-Genus Characters of Mobilida (Ciliophora, Peritrichia).

In order to reveal the structural evolutionary trend of Mobilida ciliates, twenty-six SSU-rRNA sequences of mobilid species, including seven ones newly sequenced in the present work, were used for comparative phylogenic analysis based on the RNA secondary structure. The research results indicate that all the secondary structures except domains Helix 10, Helix 12, and Helix 37 could be regarded as the criterions in classification between the family Trichodinidae and Urceolariida, and four regions including Helix E10-1, Helix 29, Helix 43, and Helix 45-Helix 46 could be as criterions in classification between the genus Trichodinella and Trichodina in family Trichodinidae. After the analysis of common structural feature within the Mobilida, it was found that the secondary structure of V6 could prove the family Urceolariidae primitive status. This research has further suggested that the genus Trichodina could be divergent earlier than Trichodinella in the family Trichodinidae. In addition, the relationship between the secondary structure and topology of phylogenic tree that the branching order of most clades corresponds with the secondary structure of species within each clade of phylogenetic tree was first uncovered and discussed in the present study.

Accumulation of reserve carbohydrate by rumen protozoa and bacteria in competition for glucose.

The aim of this study was to determine if rumen protozoa could form large amounts of reserve carbohydrate compared to the amounts formed by bacteria when competing for glucose in batch cultures. We separated large protozoa and small bacteria from rumen fluid by filtration and centrifugation, recombined equal protein masses of each group into one mixture, and subsequently harvested (reseparated) these groups at intervals after glucose dosing. This method allowed us to monitor reserve carbohydrate accumulation of protozoa and bacteria individually. When mixtures were dosed with a moderate concentration of glucose (4.62 or 5 mM) (n = 2 each), protozoa accumulated large amounts of reserve carbohydrate; 58.7% (standard error of the mean [SEM], 2.2%) glucose carbon was recovered from protozoal reserve carbohydrate at time of peak reserve carbohydrate concentrations. Only 1.7% (SEM, 2.2%) was recovered in bacterial reserve carbohydrate, which was less than that for protozoa (P < 0.001). When provided a high concentration of glucose (20 mM) (n = 4 each), 24.1% (SEM, 2.2%) of glucose carbon was recovered from protozoal reserve carbohydrate, which was still higher (P = 0.001) than the 5.0% (SEM, 2.2%) glucose carbon recovered from bacterial reserve carbohydrate. Our novel competition experiments directly demonstrate that mixed protozoa can sequester sugar away from bacteria by accumulating reserve carbohydrate, giving protozoa a competitive advantage and stabilizing fermentation in the rumen. Similar experiments could be used to investigate the importance of starch sequestration.

Analyte interactions with a new ditopic dansylamide-nitrobenzoxadiazole dyad: a combined photophysical, NMR, and theoretical (DFT) study.

We report herein the synthesis and photophysical studies on a new multicomponent chemosensor dyad comprising two fluorescing units, dansylamide (DANS) and nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD). The system has been developed to investigate receptor-analyte binding interactions in the presence of both cations and anions in a single molecular system. A dimethyl amino (in the DANS unit) group is used as a receptor for cations, and acidic hydrogens of sulfonamide and the NBD group are used as receptors for anions. The system is characterized by conventional analytical techniques. The photophysical properties of this supramolecular system in the absence and presence of various metal ions and nonmetal ions as additives are investigated in an acetonitrile medium. Utility of this system in an aqueous medium has also been demonstrated. The absorption and fluorescence spectrum of the molecular system consists of a broad band typical of an intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) transition. A low quantum yield and lifetime of the NBD moiety in the present dyad indicates photoinduced electron transfer (PET) between DANS and the NBD moiety. The fluorescence intensity of the system is found to decrease in the presence of fluoride and acetate anions; however, the quenching is found to be much higher for fluoride. This quenching behavior is attributed to the enhanced PET from the anion receptor to the fluorophore moiety. The mechanistic aspect of the fluoride ion signaling behavior has also been studied by infrared (IR) and (1)H NMR experiments. The hydrogen bonding interaction between the acidic NH protons of the DPN moiety and F(-) is found to be primarily responsible for the fluoride selective signaling behavior. While investigating the cation signaling behavior, contrary to anions, significant fluorescence enhancement has been observed only in the presence of transition-metal ions. This behavior is rationalized by considering the disruption of PET communication between DANS and the NBD moiety due to transition-metal ion binding. Theoretical (density functional theory) studies are also performed for the better understanding of the receptor-analyte interaction. Interestingly, negative cooperativity in binding is observed when the interaction of this system is studied in the presence of both Zn(2+) and F(-). Fluorescence microscopy studies also revealed that the newly developed fluorescent sensor system can be employed as an imaging probe in live cells.

Amethystin, the coloring principle of Stentor amethystinus.

Among the ciliates, Stentor amethystinus stands out for its conspicuous red-violet color compared to its blue- and red-colored relatives Stentor coeruleus and Blepharisma japonicum. Rich blooms in German lakes allowed us to collect sufficient organisms to isolate the pigments and elucidate the structure of the main component amethystin (4) by spectroscopic methods as a carboxy derivative of blepharismin. Depending on conditions, the carboxy group appears as an orthoester or as a mixture of the orthoester and small amounts of a hydroxylactone. Derivatives of both isomeric forms were obtained by acetylation and methylation supporting the proposed structures. On reaction of amethystin with base in the presence of oxygen, oxyamethystin and, under vigorous conditions, p-hydroxybenzoic acid were formed. In addition to 4, two homologues, an isomer of amethystin, and stentorin F (1b) were identified in the primary extract. Further, a biosynthetic scheme is proposed linking stentorin, blepharismin, and amethystin type compounds to the hypothetical protostentorin as a common intermediate.

Chemical and mechanical signals in inducing Phormidium (Cyanobacteria) defence against their grazers.

The nature of stimuli evoking cyanobacterium defence was investigated in experiments on Phormidium sp. strain able to defend itself against ciliate grazers. Limited dispersion of trichomes in reaction to Pseudomicrothorax dubius separated from cyanobacterium with a mesh insert indicates the existence of a chemical cue originating from the ciliates. Grazers released into the wells where trichomes' dispersion was already limited by the cue initially had no difficulty finding food, but started to starve 24 h later. Similar situation was observed in control wells. Direct observations of trichomes attacked by the ciliates showed a distinct difference between the trichomes previously subjected to mesh-separated ciliate and the control ones. The former withdrew more frequently into a rigid sheath, whereas the latter usually withdrew into elastic tubes. This suggests that both chemical and mechanical stimuli are necessary to express cyanobacterium defence to the fullest extent. Further investigations showed that ciliates specialised in ingesting filamentous Cyanobacteria limit trichomes' dispersion, whereas filter-feeding Euplotes and Cyanobacteria-feeding rotifer do not. The cyanobacterium can detect grazer presence even without direct contact and modify its morphology in a way enabling full expression of defence reaction. This is the first report on ciliate-cyanobacterium chemical mediation.

Characterization of the life cycle and heteromeric nature of the macronucleus of the ciliate Chilodonella uncinata using fluorescence microscopy.

Only a limited number of studies exist on the life cycles of nonmodel ciliates such as Chilodonella uncinata (Cl: Phyllopharyngea). The handful of papers on this taxon indicate the presence of a heteromeric macronucleus, marked by separate DNA-rich and DNA-poor regions. Here, we study the life cycle of C. uncinata using confocal laser scanning microscopy with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, which allows us to differentiate nuclear dynamics of the micronucleus and the macronucleus during life-cycle stages. We photo-documented various stages and confirmed aspects of the development of the new macronucleus previously characterized by electron microscopy. We further reveal the heteromeric structure of the macronucleus with Z-stacks and three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions. We find no evidence for the presence of an endosome at the center of the macronucleus during vegetative growth. In addition to illustrating the life cycle of this ciliate, the approaches developed for this study will enable additional comparative analyses of nuclear dynamics using fluorescence microscopy.

Chemical offense by means of toxicysts in the freshwater ciliate, Coleps hirtus.

Coleps hirtus is a small common freshwater ciliate belonging to the protostomatid group, its body covered by calcified plates assembled to form an armor. Coleps feeds on bacteria, algae, flagellates, living and dead ciliates, animal and plant tissues. To assist its carnivorous feeding the ciliate is equipped with offensive extrusomes (toxicysts), clustering mainly in and around its oral aperture. In this study, we isolated the discharge of the toxicysts from living cells, evaluating its cytotoxic effects against various ciliate species, and demonstrating that it is essential for the effectiveness of Coleps' predatory behavior. The analysis of the toxicyst discharge performed by liquid chromatography-electrospray-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, revealed the presence of a mixture of 19 saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated free fatty acids with the addition of a minor amount of a diterpenoid (phytanic acid).

Ingestion and transfer of microplastics in the planktonic food web.

Experiments were carried out with different Baltic Sea zooplankton taxa to scan their potential to ingest plastics. Mysid shrimps, copepods, cladocerans, rotifers, polychaete larvae and ciliates were exposed to 10 µm fluorescent polystyrene microspheres. These experiments showed ingestion of microspheres in all taxa studied. The highest percentage of individuals with ingested spheres was found in pelagic polychaete larvae, Marenzelleria spp. Experiments with the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the mysid shrimp Neomysis integer showed egestion of microspheres within 12 h. Food web transfer experiments were done by offering zooplankton labelled with ingested microspheres to mysid shrimps. Microscopy observations of mysid intestine showed the presence of zooplankton prey and microspheres after 3 h incubation. This study shows for the first time the potential of plastic microparticle transfer via planktonic organisms from one trophic level (mesozooplankton) to a higher level (macrozooplankton). The impacts of plastic transfer and possible accumulation in the food web need further investigations.

Identification of differentially expressed water-insoluble proteins in the encystment process of Colpoda cucullus by two-dimensional electrophoresis and LC-MS/MS analysis.

In the encystment process of the ciliate protist Colpoda cucullus, we observed that the cell total protein abundance was reduced at 12 h-1 d after the onset of encystment induction subsequent to the reduction in mRNA abundance. We analyzed the alteration of the expression levels of water-insoluble proteins by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween-80), and we identified proteins whose expression levels were altered in the encystment process by a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The expression level of a 60-kDa protein (p60; heat shock protein 60) was temporarily enhanced and that of a 55-kDa protein (p55; actin) and a 49-kDa protein (p49; actin) was enhanced in the Colpoda encystment process. In mature cysts, the expression level of p55 and p49 tended to be reduced, whereas the expression level of a 50-kDa protein (p50d; α-tubulin), a 25-kDa protein (p25; α-tubulin) and a 52-kDa protein (p52c; ß-tubulin) was enhanced.

Ciliate Nassula sp. grazing on a microcystin-producing cyanobacterium (Planktothrix agardhii): impact on cell growth and in the microcystin fractions.

The proliferation of microcystins (MCs)-producing cyanobacteria (MCs) can have detrimental effects on the food chain in aquatic environments. Until recently, few studies had focused on the fate of MCs in exposed organisms, such as primary consumers of cyanobacteria. In this study, we investigate the impact of an MC-producing strain of the cyanobacterium Planktothrix agardhii on the growth and physiology of a Nassula sp. ciliate isolated from a non-toxic cyanobacterial bloom. We show that this Nassula sp. strain was able to consume and grow while feeding exclusively on an MC-producing cyanobacterium over a prolonged period of time (8 months). In short-term exposure experiments (8 days), ciliates consuming an MC-producing cyanobacterial strain displayed slower growth rate and higher levels of antioxidant enzymes than ciliates feeding on two non-MC-producing strains. Three high-performance methods (LC/MS, LC/MS-MS and ELISA) were used to quantify the free and bound MCs in the culture medium and in the cells. We show that ciliate grazing led to a marked decrease in free MCs (methanol extractable) in cells, the MCs were therefore no longer found in the surrounding culture medium. These findings suggest that MCs may have undergone redistribution (free vs bound MCs) or chemical degradation within the ciliates.

The protein pheromone Er-1 of the ciliate Euplotes raikovi stimulates human T-cell activity: involvement of interleukin-2 system.

Water-soluble protein signals (pheromones) of the ciliate Euplotes have been supposed to be functional precursors of growth factors and cytokines that regulate cell-cell interaction in multi-cellular eukaryotes. This work provides evidence that native preparations of the Euplotes raikovi pheromone Er-1 (a helical protein of 40 amino acids) specifically increases viability, DNA synthesis, proliferation, and the production of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, and IL-13 in human Jurkat T-cells. Also, Er-1 significantly decreases the mRNA levels of the ß and γ subunits of IL-2 receptor (IL-2R), while the mRNA levels of the α subunit appeared to be not affected. Jurkat T-cell treatments with Er-1 induced the down-regulation of the IL-2Rα subunit by a reversible and time-dependent endocytosis, and increased the levels of phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK). The cell-type specificity of these effects was supported by the finding that Er-1, although unable to directly influence the growth of human glioma U-373 cells, induced Jurkat cells to synthesize and release factors that, in turn, inhibited the U-373 cell proliferation. Overall, these findings imply that Er-1 coupling to IL-2R and ERK immuno-enhances T-cell activity, and that this effect likely translates to an inhibition of glioma cell growth.