Authors: Vannier-Santos, M.A.; Martiny, A.; Souza, W.

Source: Current Pharmaceutical Design, Volume 8, Number 4, 1 February 2002 , pp. 297-318(22)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

Parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania infect mammalian mononuclear phagocytic cells causing a potentially fatal disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. The drugs of choice used in the leishmaniasis therapy are significantly toxic, expensive and faced with a growing frequency of refractory infections. Thus the search for new leishmanicidal compounds is urgently required. In order to perform a proper drug design and to understand the modes of action of such compounds it is necessary to elucidade the intrincate cellular and molecular events that orchestrate the parasite biology. In order to invade the host cell Leishmania are able to recruit different surface receptors which may assist engaging the microbicidal responses. In the intracellular millieu these pathogens can deactivate and / or subvert the phagocyte signal transduction machinery rendering these cells permissive to infection. In the present review we attempted to approach some of the most relevant cellular and biochemical invasion and evasion strategies employed by Leishmania parasites.

Keywords: Leishmania

Document Type: Review article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612023396230

Publication date: 2002-02-01

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• Current Pharmaceutical Design publishes timely in-depth reviews covering all aspects of current research in rational drug design. Each issue is devoted to a single major therapeutic area. A Guest Editor who is an acknowledged authority in a therapeutic field has solicits for each issue comprehensive and timely reviews from leading researchers in the pharmaceutical industry and academia.
  
  Each thematic issue of Current Pharmaceutical Design covers all subject areas of major importance to modern drug design, including: medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, drug targets and disease mechanism.

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