Vesicular transport, the Actin Cytoskeleton and Their Involvement in Virulence Mechanisms During Host-Parasite Interaction

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Background

Parasite-host interactions involve complex and finely regulated mechanisms that contribute to the establishment of the parasitic infection. Upon contact, signaling cascades are activated in both the microorganism and the host, unveiling a fascinating world that actively participates in the invasion processes. From one side, the host begins to formulate defense strategies by stimulating the immune system to fight the invader, whereas the intruder uses its own molecules by which parasites counteract the immune system, allowing its survival at the hostile environment of the host.

The cytoskeletal architecture and the endomembrane system of host and parasitic cells contribute to the establishment of the parasitic infection. Parasites extensively manipulate the host cytoskeleton by remodeling actin filaments and microtubules to facilitate invasion, i.e. hijacking the effector host molecules. Moreover, the actin cytoskeleton of the parasite participates in cell migration (motility), organelle transport (vesicular transport) and phagocytosis, being all these cellular processes crucial for the pathophysiology of the infective agent.

In general, eukaryotic cells possess an interconnected endomembrane system, which is exquisitely regulated and highly conserved across species. The endomembrane system plays a key role in vesicular transport and communication from one organelle to another or between different cells. It also exerts an important function in protein degradation, recycling and secretion through the formation of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which have been recognized to play a key role in the development of many diseases. Furthermore, it is well known that some parasites generate EVs that are able to modulate the host immune response.

In this topic we aim at understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in different cellular events occurring during host-parasite interaction including: i) cell movement and communication; ii) attack and defense mechanisms of both the invading parasite and the host, respectively; iii) participation of the actin cytoskeleton during intra- and extra-cellular transport of molecules; and iv) molecular mechanisms underlying vesicular transport in parasites. Enhancement of our knowledge about these cellular events, will allow to better understand the virulence mechanisms of the parasites and to design new therapeutic or diagnostic strategies, as well as to propose new candidate vaccine targets. Research papers or reviews with a focus on the biological aspects of the host immune response and its modulation by the parasites, the molecular mechanisms that govern intra- and extra-cellular transport, as well as those investigations on the cytoskeletal architecture participation during parasitic infections, will be considered in this topic for further revision.

Keywords: vesicular transport, actin, cytoskeleton, virulence, parasite, extracellular vesicles

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