The early stage of Leishmania development in sand flies is closely connected with bloodmeal digestion. Here we compared various parameters of bloodmeal digestion in sand flies that are either susceptible (Phlebotomus argentipes and P. orientalis) or refractory (P. papatasi and Sergentomyia schwetzi) to Leishmania donovani, to study the effects on vector competence. The volume of the bloodmeal i...

Chronic immune activation by coinfecting pathogens has been suggested as a cofactor in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression, particularly in the setting of developing countries. Here, we used in vivo-infected mononuclear cells to examine the role of the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani and its major membrane constituent, lipophosphoglycan (LPG), in mediating CD4+ T-lymph...

Miltefosine causes leishmanial death, but the possible mechanism(s) of action is not known. The mode of action of miltefosine was investigated in vitro in Leishmania donovani promastigotes as well as in extra- and intracellular amastigotes. Here, we demonstrate that miltefosine induces apoptosis-like death in L. donovani based on observed phenomena such as nuclear DNA condensation, DNA fragment...

[This corrects the article on p. 314 in vol. 8, PMID: 28303124.].

A simple synthesis and in vitro antileishmanial activity of 29,30-dibromo-28-oxoallobetulin against the parasitic protozoans, Leishmania donovani and Leishmania major is described. The structure of the compound is established on the basis of spectral data (IR, NMR, MS). Both the antiproliferative effect and the cell cycle progression were studied.

Glutathione is the major intracellular antioxidant thiol protecting mammalian cells against oxidative stress induced by oxygen- and nitrogen-derived reactive species. In trypanosomes and leishmanias, trypanothione plays a central role in parasite protection against mammalian host defence systems by recycling trypanothione disulphide by the enzyme trypanothione reductase. Although Kinetoplastida...

Emergence of Amphotericin B (AmB) resistant Leishmania donovani has posed major therapeutic challenge against the parasite. Consequently, combination therapy aimed at multiple molecular targets, based on proteome wise network analysis has been recommended. In this regard we had earlier identified and proposed L-asparaginase of Leishmania donovani (LdAI) as a crucial metabolic target. Here we re...

Leishmania donovani is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects macrophages of the vertebrate host resulting in visceral leishmaniasis in humans, a major public health problem worldwide. The molecular mechanisms involved in internalization of Leishmania are still poorly characterized. We report here that cholesterol sequestration by the sterol-binding antifungal polyene antibiotic nystat...

visceral leishmaniasis is a deadly parasitic disease that is transmitted via the bite of a female sand fly, phlebotomus argentipes. the highest burden of this disease is in northern india. in 2005, india embarked on an initiative with ne­pal, bangladesh, and the world health organization to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis by 2015. with the goal of 1 case in 10,000 people still unmet, it is pru...

We investigated the properties of leishmania exosomes with respect to influencing innate and adaptive immune responses. Exosomes from Leishmania donovani modulated human monocyte cytokine responses to IFN-γ in a bimodal fashion by promoting IL-10 production and inhibiting that of TNF-α. Moreover, these vesicles were inhibitory with respect to cytokine responses (IL-12p70, TNF-α, and IL-10) by h...