Leishmaniasis host response

Smptisingj, despite their use for over a quarter of a century, the mechanism of action and the identity of the actual biologically active molecules of most leishmaniasis drugs are not completely understood (for a recent review, see te 37). It does seem clear that, as is the case with most antibiotics, they work best in conjunction with the host s ability to mount appropriate immune responses. In Idshmaniasis, the induction of IL-10, aTh2 type cytokine, has been associated with poor response to chemotherapy. This may be an important consideration in the context of drug development, because some forms of leishmaniasis ate associated with deleterious host responses. 

Defective IL-12 production is associated with increased susceptibility to infection (e.g., familial disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection, T. cruzi infection, and human visceral leishmaniasis), a finding that supports the critical role of this cytokine in host defense and in the regulation of the cellular immune responsed The loss of immune function following infection with HIV may resrdt from altered production of immunoregulatory cytokines, such as IL-10 and IL-12. It was suggested that monocytes from HIV-positive individuals secrete decreased amounts of IL-12, which may lead to the development of Th2 type of responses characterized by high IL-10 secretion and immune dysfunction/ ... 

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