title: The role of chemokines and their receptors during protist parasite infections.
abstract: Protists are a diverse collection of eukaryotic organisms that account for a significant global infection burden. Often, the immune responses mounted against these parasites cause excessive inflammation and therefore pathology in the host. Elucidating the mechanisms of both protective and harmful immune responses is complex, and often relies of the use of animal models. In any immune response, leucocyte trafficking to the site of infection, or inflammation, is paramount, and this involves the production of chemokines, small chemotactic cytokines of approximately 8-10 kDa in size, which bind to specific chemokine receptors to induce leucocyte movement. Herein, the scientific literature investigating the role of chemokines in the propagation of immune responses against key protist infections will be reviewed, focussing on Plasmodium species, Toxoplasma gondii, Leishmania species and Cryptosporidium species. Interestingly, many studies find that chemokines can in fact, promote parasite survival in the host, by drawing in leucocytes for spread and further replication. Recent developments in drug targeting against chemokine receptors highlights the need for further understanding of the role played by these proteins and their receptors in many different diseases.
authors.affiliation: Infection and Microbiology Group,Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research,School of Science and Sport,University of the West of Scotland,Paisley PA1 2BE,UK.
authors.forename: Fiona M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Menzies
authors.affiliation: Infection and Microbiology Group,Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research,School of Science and Sport,University of the West of Scotland,Paisley PA1 2BE,UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Macphail
authors.affiliation: Infection and Microbiology Group,Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research,School of Science and Sport,University of the West of Scotland,Paisley PA1 2BE,UK.
authors.forename: Fiona L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Henriquez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018925:Chemokines / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine
keywords: Chemokine; chemokine receptor; cryptosporidiosis; leishmaniasis; malaria; protist; toxoplasmosis