Lipophosphoglycan of the protozoan parasite Leishmania: stage- and species-specific importance for colonization of the sandfly vector, transmission and virulence to mammals.
Leishmaniasis is a major health problem to the human population of the tropics, subtropics and Mediterranean regions. This disease is caused by the parasitic protozoa Leishmania, which have adapted to survive in several hostile environments such as the vector insect midgut, blood and the mammalian macrophage phagolysosome. Several Leishmania glycoconjugates have been implicated as key molecules for these remarkable capabilities. This review summarizes the current knowledge on potential and proven functions of the most prominent of the Leishmania glycoconjugates, the lipophosphoglycan.
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Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie, Abteilung Membranbiochemie, Tübingen, Germany. thomas.ilg@tuebingen.mpg.de
D000818:Animals; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000635:transmission; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008264:Macrophages / Q000469:parasitology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000469:parasitology; D013045:Species Specificity
D006028:Glycosphingolipids; C008290:lipophosphonoglycan