The genetics of Leishmania virulence

Med Microbiol Immunol. 2015 Dec;204(6):619-34. doi: 10.1007/s00430-015-0422-1. Epub 2015 Jun 6.

Abstract

The ability of Leishmania parasites to infect and persist in the antigen-presenting cell population of their mammalian hosts is dependent on their ability to gain entry to their host and host cells, to survive the mammalian cell environment, and to suppress or evade the protective immune response mechanisms of their hosts. A multitude of genes and their products have been implicated in each of these virulence-enhancing strategies to date, and we present an overview of the nature and known function of such virulence genes.

Keywords: Immune modulation; Intracellular pathogen; Leishmania; Virulence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Biological
  • Animals
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / metabolism
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / parasitology
  • Exosomes / metabolism
  • Genetic Fitness
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism
  • Host-Parasite Interactions*
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion
  • Immunomodulation
  • Leishmania / genetics*
  • Leishmania / immunology
  • Leishmania / pathogenicity*
  • Leishmaniasis / immunology
  • Leishmaniasis / parasitology*
  • Protozoan Proteins / metabolism
  • Risk Factors
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Virulence / genetics

Substances

  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Protozoan Proteins