Perforins are secreted proteins of eukaryotes, which possess a membrane attack complex/perforin (MACPF) domain enabling them to form pores in the membranes of target cells. In higher eukaryotes, they are assigned to immune defense mechanisms required to kill invading microbes or infected cells. Perforin-like proteins (PLPs) are also found in apicomplexan parasites. Here they play diverse roles during lifecycle progression of the intracellularly replicating protozoans. The apicomplexan PLPs are best studied in Plasmodium and Toxoplasma, the causative agents of malaria and toxoplasmosis, respectively. The PLPs are expressed in the different lifecycle stages of the pathogens and can target and lyse a variety of cell membranes of the invertebrate and mammalian hosts. The PLPs thereby either function in host cell destruction during exit or in overcoming epithelial barriers during tissue passage. In this review, we summarize the various PLPs known for apicomplexan parasites and highlight their roles in Plasmodium and Toxoplasma lifecycle progression.

穿孔素是真核生物的分泌蛋白，具有膜攻击复合物/穿孔素（MACPF）结构域，使它们能够在靶细胞的膜上形成孔。在高级真核生物中，它们被赋予杀死入侵微生物或感染细胞所需的免疫防御机制。在apicomplexan寄生虫中也发现了穿孔素样蛋白（PLP）。在这里，它们在细胞内复制的原生动物的生命周期进程中扮演着各种角色。apicomplexan PLP最好在疟原虫 和 弓形虫，分别是疟疾和弓形虫病的病原体。PLP在病原体的不同生命周期阶段表达，并且可以靶向并裂解无脊椎动物和哺乳动物宿主的多种细胞膜。因此，PLP在退出过程中在宿主细胞破坏中起作用，或者在组织通过过程中在克服上皮屏障中起作用。在这篇综述中，我们总结了以apicomplexan寄生虫闻名的各种PLP，并重点介绍了它们在体内的作用。疟原虫 和 弓形虫 生命周期进展。