Interactions of antimicrobial peptides with Leishmania and trypanosomes and their functional role in host parasitism.
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are multifunctional components of the innate systems of both insect and mammalian hosts of the pathogenic trypanosomatids Leishmania and Trypanosoma species. Structurally diverse AMPs from a wide range of organisms have in vitro activity against these parasites acting mainly to disrupt surface-membranes. In some cases AMPs also localize intracellularly to affect calcium levels, mitochondrial function and induce autophagy, necrosis and apoptosis. In this review we discuss the work done in the area of AMP interactions with trypanosomatid protozoa, propose potential targets of AMP activity at the cellular level and discuss how AMPs might influence parasite growth and differentiation in their hosts to determine the outcome of natural infection.
Center for Microbial Interface Biology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA. brad.mcgwire@osumc.edu
Bradford S
BS
McGwire
Manjusha M
MM
Kulkarni
D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D056986:Euglenozoa Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007313:Insecta / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D014351:Trypanosomatina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides