Leishmania mediated regulation of host metabolism: impact on host immunity

Leishmaniasis, a vector-borne disease affecting millions worldwide, is caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania. In mammalian hosts, Leishmania survives in the hostile environment of macrophages by exploiting key metabolic pathways to evade their destruction and subvert the host immune responses. Understanding of how Leishmania alters host immune cell metabolism could reveal novel targets for vaccines and therapeutics for effective control of Leishmaniasis. This review focuses on Leishmania-induced modulation of host immune response, with particular focus on reprograming of key metabolic pathways in macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells and other immune cells.