Potential therapeutic targets shared between leishmaniasis and cancer.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of shared molecular pathways and mechanistic targets without primary empirical data.
PubMed 33536086 · doi:10.1017/S0031182021000160
What was done
The authors conducted a narrative review examining shared protein expression, regulatory mechanisms, and molecular functions between Leishmania parasites and malignant cancer cells to identify potential overlapping therapeutic targets.
What was found
The abstract reports qualitative mechanistic associations rather than empirical or numerical data. Shared proteins with documented up-regulation or down-regulation in both conditions were found to be involved in cell survival, cellular development, pathogenicity, metabolic pathways, and critical intracellular signaling cascades.
Why it matters
Recognizing shared biochemical and survival pathways between Leishmania and neoplastic cells may help explain diagnostic overlaps and inform drug repurposing strategies across infectious disease and oncology.
Limits
The abstract provides no quantitative data, effect sizes, statistical metrics, or specific search methodology. It is a non-systematic narrative review based primarily on mechanistic and preclinical observations.
Cited by
- supports Parasites and cancer cells utilize common metabolic pathways for survival.