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Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Using Fluorescent Proteins to Monitor Glycosome Dynamics in the African Trypanosome
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Lipid and fatty acid metabolism in trypanosomatids

Giovana Parreira de Aquino1, Marco Antonio Mendes Gomes1, Roberto Köpke Salinas2

  • 1Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Microbial Cell (Graz, Austria)
|November 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

New drugs targeting fatty acid metabolism in Trypanosomatidae parasites are crucial for treating neglected tropical diseases like trypanosomiases and leishmaniases, as current therapies are toxic and ineffective.

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • Trypanosomiases and leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases with increasing geographic spread.
  • Existing treatments are toxic and ineffective, necessitating new therapeutic strategies.
  • Protozoan parasites in the Trypanosomatidae family cause these diseases, requiring lipids and fatty acids (FAs) for survival and energy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review lipid and fatty acid metabolism in Trypanosomatidae parasites.
  • To highlight metabolic pathways as potential targets for novel antiparasitic drug development.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on lipid and FA metabolism in *T. brucei*, *T. cruzi*, and *Leishmania* spp.
  • Analysis of FA synthesis and scavenging pathways in these parasites.
  • Exploration of potential drug targets within FA metabolism.

Main Results:

  • Trypanosomatids exhibit unique lipid and FA metabolism, utilizing both de novo synthesis and host scavenging.
  • Fatty acids are essential nutrients and a primary energy source for critical parasite life stages.
  • Distinctive metabolic pathways offer opportunities for selective drug targeting.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting lipid and FA metabolism presents a promising avenue for developing novel chemotherapeutics against trypanosomiases and leishmaniases.
  • Understanding these pathways is key to overcoming drug resistance and improving treatment efficacy.
Keywords:
LeishmaniaTrypanosoma bruceiTrypanosoma cruzichemotherapeuticselongaseshost-parasite interactionneglected tropical diseases

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