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Leishmania-Host Interactions-An Epigenetic Paradigm

Farhat Afrin1, Inbesat Khan2, Hassan A Hemeg1

  • 1Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madina, Saudi Arabia.

Frontiers in Immunology
|April 11, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic modifications in Leishmania parasites and host cells are crucial for disease development and immune evasion. Targeting these epigenetic changes offers potential for new anti-leishmanial drugs and vaccine development.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Parasitology
  • Immunology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease with no existing vaccines, and chemotherapy is limited by resistance and side effects.
  • Leishmania parasites evade host defenses by altering surface proteins and suppressing immune responses.
  • Parasite survival involves unique regulation of RNA polymerases and poorly understood post-translational modifications, including epigenetic histone modifications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review epigenetic alterations in Leishmania parasites and their impact on host cells during infection.
  • To explore the role of epigenetic modifications in parasite pathogenesis and immune evasion.
  • To discuss the potential of epigenetic targets for anti-leishmanial drug development and vaccine design.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on epigenetic mechanisms in Leishmania infection.
  • Analysis of studies on DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding microRNAs in Leishmania pathogenesis.
  • Exploration of epigenetic impacts on host immune gene expression and parasite-induced immune suppression.

Main Results:

  • Leishmania parasites manipulate host epigenetic machinery, including DNA methylation, to silence immune defense genes.
  • Altered epigenetic histone modifications are implicated in parasite chromatin remodeling and gene expression regulation.
  • Non-coding microRNAs are identified as regulators of wound healing, immune signaling, and potential biomarkers for treatment outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Unique epigenetic marks in Leishmania parasites and host cells represent promising targets for novel anti-leishmanial therapies.
  • Understanding epigenetic perturbations is vital for developing effective leishmaniasis vaccines, serving as biomarkers for safety and immunogenicity.
  • Epigenetic strategies may overcome current limitations in leishmaniasis treatment and prevention.
Keywords:
DNA methylation/demethylationbiomarkersepigeneticshistone modificationhost-pathogen Interactionsleishmaniasisnon-coding RNAtherapeutics

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