Deninson Alejandro Vargas

Abstract The quality and magnitude of the immune and inflammatory responses determine the clinical outcome of Leishmania infection, and contribute to the efficacy of antileishmanial treatments. However, the precise immune mechanisms involved in healing or in the chronic immunopathology of human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are not well understood.

Within its mammalian host, Leishmania resides and replicates as an intracellular parasite. The direct activity of antileishmanials must therefore depend on intracellular drug transport, metabolism, and accumulation within the host cell. In this study, we explored the role of human macrophage transporters in the intracellular accumulation and antileishmanial activity of miltefosine (MLF), the only oral drug available for the treatment of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL).