title: Parasite mitogen-activated protein kinases as drug discovery targets to treat human protozoan pathogens.
abstract: Protozoan pathogens are a highly diverse group of unicellular organisms, several of which are significant human pathogens. One group of protozoan pathogens includes obligate intracellular parasites such as agents of malaria, leishmaniasis, babesiosis, and toxoplasmosis. The other group includes extracellular pathogens such as agents of giardiasis and amebiasis. An unfortunate unifying theme for most human protozoan pathogens is that highly effective treatments for them are generally lacking. We will review targeting protozoan mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as a novel drug discovery approach towards developing better therapies, focusing on Plasmodia, Leishmania, and Toxoplasma, about which the most is known.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and Program in Immunology and Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brumlik
authors.forename: Srilakshmi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandeswara
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: Kruthi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: Tyler J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Curiel