Characterization of filarial protein tyrosine phosphatases

Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis infects more than 128 million people worldwide in more than 80 endemic countries and continues to be a formidable problem especially in Asian subcontinent and Africa. Around 20% of world population is at risk to lymphatic filarial infection and 44 million populations is affected with various clinical forms of the disease while 76 million carry the parasites in their blood with silent clinical damages of lymphatics and renal systems. Within the last few years, significant achievements have been made in the identification of virulence factors and understanding of pathogenesis due to development of various immunopathological animal models. In addition, better diagnostic and control strategies including single dose and combination therapy, gave new ray of hope for elimination of this morbid disease. However, the presently available drugs, both diethylcarbamazine and albendazole are principally microfilaricidal with little or negligible effect on adult filarial parasites and therefore treatment results into recurrence of microfilaraemia after a period of therapy. Purification, biochemical and chemotherapeutic characterization of the possible target molecules that may be a potential adulticides is, therefore, a prerequisite.