AUTHOR=Tomiotto-Pellissier Fernanda , Bortoleti Bruna Taciane da Silva , Assolini João Paulo , Gonçalves Manoela Daiele , Carloto Amanda Cristina Machado , Miranda-Sapla Milena Menegazzo , Conchon-Costa Ivete , Bordignon Juliano , Pavanelli Wander Rogério 

TITLE=Macrophage Polarization in Leishmaniasis: Broadening Horizons

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.02529

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2018.02529

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease that affects more than 700,000 people annually. <italic>Leishmania</italic> parasites cause the disease, and different species trigger a distinct immune response and clinical manifestations. Macrophages are the final host cells for the proliferation of <italic>Leishmania</italic> parasites, and these cells are the key to a controlled or exacerbated response that culminates in clinical manifestations. M1 and M2 are the two main macrophage phenotypes. M1 is a pro-inflammatory subtype with microbicidal properties, and M2, or alternatively activated, is an anti-inflammatory/regulatory subtype that is related to inflammation resolution and tissue repair. The present review elucidates the roles of M1 and M2 polarization in leishmaniasis and highlights the role of the salivary components of the vector and the action of the parasite in the macrophage plasticity.</p>