Targeting Microtubules in Leishmania using a Combined Computational & Experimental Approach

Abstract

Previous work has shown that targeting microtubules in protozoan parasites has the potential to be an effective therapeutic strategy against diseases caused by these microorganisms, such as Leishmaniasis, African sleeping sickness, and Chagas Disease. Preliminary studies demonstrate that tubulin from these parasites exhibits distinct binding properties compared to tubulin from mammalian species. In particular, the well-known tubulin binding drug colchicine is 10,000 times more potent against human cell lines than Leishmania cultures in assays measuring GI50.