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Abstract

Leishmaniasis, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, is one of the most neglected human diseases, affecting millions worldwide. A detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern the outcome of macrophage–Leishmania interactions is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of leishmaniasis; however, our current knowledge of these mechanisms remains limited. It is clear that Leishmania has co-evolved to engage several clever strategies to regulate the cell biology of host macrophages to survive and multiply in phagolysosomes of these cells. In this review, we discuss how Leishmania exploits the macrophage Yin-Yang 1 protein as a critical proxy virulence factor to promote its survival. Additionally, we discuss an atlas of YY1-dependent proteins in human macrophages, which could serve as a valuable resource for researchers studying the role of YY1 in macrophage cell biology.