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  • Review Article
  • Published:

Leishmaniasis: complexity at the host–pathogen interface

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 9, pages 604–615 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

Key Points

  • Many Leishmania spp. can cause human disease, with clinical symptoms dependent upon both host- and parasite-related factors.

  • During infection, leishmanial parasites may be phagocytosed by a variety of cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs), macrophages and stromal cells. However, host cell preference and the importance of each cell type to parasite clearance versus parasite persistence may vary following infection by different Leishmania spp.

  • Intracellular Leishmania parasites have multiple ways to manipulate macrophage function, including subverting the control of phagosome biogenesis and maturation. The importance of parasite virulence factors (for example, lipophosphoglycan) in this process is dependent upon leishmanial species and host cell type.

  • Major surface protease (MSP; also known as GP63) of Leishmania spp. has an important role in regulating intracellular survival in some host cells, by cleaving a variety of phosphotyrosine phosphatases such as SRC homology 2 domain phosphotyrosine receptor phosphate (SHP1). MSP may access these cytosolic targets after crossing lipid microdomains in the host cell membrane.

  • Iron has a key role in intracellular survival of leishmanial pathogens, with both host (SLC11A1) and parasite (LIT1) transporters competing to secure this essential resource.

  • Cell-mediated immunity to leishmanial infection is multifactorial, with different models of disease serving to exemplify different aspects, for example, the importance of CD8+ T cells and/or the involvement of moDCs.

  • Parasite persistence and the capacity to induce good vaccine-induced immunity are both strongly influenced by the presence of interleukin-10 (IL-10). There are multiple cellular sources of IL-10 (T helper 1 (TH1) cells, regulatory T (TReg) cells, B cells, macrophages and DCs), but whether each has similar functional significance has yet to be determined.

Abstract

Leishmania is a genus of protozoan parasites that are transmitted by the bite of phlebotomine sandflies and give rise to a range of diseases (collectively known as leishmaniases) that affect over 150 million people worldwide. Cellular immune mechanisms have a major role in the control of infections with all Leishmania spp. However, as discussed in this Review, recent evidence suggests that each host–pathogen combination evokes different solutions to the problems of parasite establishment, survival and persistence. Understanding the extent of this diversity will be increasingly important in ensuring the development of broadly applicable vaccines, drugs and immunotherapeutic interventions.

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Figure 1: The life cycle of Leishmania parasites.
Figure 2: Multiple cell types are involved in the uptake of Leishmania parasites.
Figure 3: Phagosome fate is determined by factors from both the host and Leishmania spp.
Figure 4: Iron wars within macrophages infected with Leishmania parasites.
Figure 5: Lipid microdomains during Leishmania infection of macrophages.
Figure 6: Cellular components of the anti-leishmanial immune response.

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Acknowledgements

Work in the P.K. laboratory is funded by grants from the UK Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust. Work in the P.S. laboratory is funded by grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Hull York Medical School, Centre for Immunology and Infection, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, 10 5YW, YO, UK

    Paul Kaye

  2. Department of Pathobiology, Penn Institute for Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104-4539, Pennsylvania, USA

    Phillip Scott

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Kaye, P., Scott, P. Leishmaniasis: complexity at the host–pathogen interface. Nat Rev Microbiol 9, 604–615 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2608

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