LEISHMANIA PHAGOLYSOSOME - DRUG TRAFFICKING AND PROTEIN SORTING ACROSS THE COMPARTMENT

Survival or destruction of intramacrophage pathogen Leishmania depends in part on modulation of their host cell phagosome, capabilities of t he infected macrophages to present parasite antigen to the host's immu ne system. Macrophages house these parasites as amastigotes in the aci dic phagolysosomal compartment. Leishmania phagolysosome is the potent ial site for processing and presentation of its antigen as well as bei ng the target site for chemotherapy in leishmaniasis. It is thought th at the parasites are killed from macrophage activation by lymphokines secreted from either helper T1 cells or CD8(+) T cells. Characterizati on of both the host and parasite molecules in the compartment in the c ontext of biogenesis of Leishmania-phagolysosome and processing of the parasite antigen by this compartment are discussed. Trafficking of di fferent drugs and new agents through this compartment and their role i n chemotherapy and necessity of developing new drug carrier are also s tressed.