Pharmacological assessment defines Leishmania donovani casein kinase 1 as a drug target and reveals important functions in parasite viability and intracellular infection.

ABSTRACT: Protein kinase inhibitors have emerged as new drugs in various therapeutic areas, including leishmaniasis, an important parasitic disease. Members of the Leishmania casein kinase 1 (CK1) family represent promising therapeutic targets. Leishmania casein kinase 1 isoform 2 (CK1.2) has been identified as an exokinase capable of phosphorylating host proteins, thus exerting a potential immune-suppressive action on infected host cells. Moreover, its inhibition reduces promastigote growth. Despite these important properties, its requirement for intracellular infection and its chemical validation as a therapeutic target in the disease-relevant amastigote stage remain to be established. In this study, we used a multidisciplinary approach combining bioinformatics, biochemical, and pharmacological an

SUBMITTER: Rachidi N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3957854 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature