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 the infected macrophages to present parasite antigen to the host's immune system. Macrophages house these parasites as amastigotes in the acidic phagolysosomal compartment. Leishmania phagolysosome is the potential site for processing and presentation of its antigen as well as being the target site for chemotherapy in leishmaniasis. It is thought that the parasites are killed from macrophage activation by lymphokines secreted from either helper T1 cells or CD8(+) T cells. Characterization of both the host and parasite molecules in the compartment in the context of biogenesis of Leishmania-phagolysosome and processing of the parasite antigen by this compartment are discussed. Trafficking of different drugs and new agents through this compartment and their role in chemotherapy and necessity of developing new drug carrier are also stressed.