The Future of Leishmaniasis Treatment: Protein Targets and Beyond

Abstract

This review summarizes up-to-date research on Leishmania protein structures, extracted primarily from the Protein Data Bank (PDB), that are involved in metabolic pathways of the parasite causing \textit{Leishmania}. Additionally, we examine current advancements in identifying and developing bioactive chemical agents to treat this largely neglected tropical disease. We examined experimental data from \textit{in vitro}, \textit{in vivo}, or \textit{in silico} sources, classifying the information into four categories: a) vector taxonomy and geographical distribution; b) parasite taxonomy and geographical distribution; c) enzymatic functions of proteins involved in parasite/host interactions across developmental stages (e.g. oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, and cytokines); and d) standard and experimental treatments using bioactive chemical compounds. Our goal is to provide a reference framework for research focused on elucidating interaction mechanisms and ligand-protein activation/inactivation processes related specifically to \textit{Leishmania} infections. We therefore highlight enzymes known to participate in biochemical pathways triggered during Leishmania infection episodes. This review summarizes current knowledge to inform and guide future discovery efforts targeting proteins and pathways for improved \textit{Leishmania} disease management.