CCL8

Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 8, also known as monocyte chemoattractant protein 2 (MCP-2), is a is_associated_with::protein that in humans is encoded by the CCL8 is_associated_with::gene.

CCL8 is a small is_associated_with::cytokine belonging to the CC is_associated_with::chemokine family. The CCL8 protein is produced as a precursor containing 109 is_associated_with::amino acids, which is cleaved to produce mature CCL8 containing 75 amino acids. The is_associated_with::gene for CCL8 is encoded by 3 is_associated_with::exons and is located within a large cluster of CC chemokines on is_associated_with::chromosome 17q11.2 in humans. MCP-2 is chemotactic for and activates a many different immune cells, including is_associated_with::mast cells, is_associated_with::eosinophils and is_associated_with::basophils, (that are implicated in is_associated_with::allergic responses), and is_associated_with::monocytes, is_associated_with::T cells, and is_associated_with::NK cells that are involved in the inflammatory response. CCL8 elicits its effects by binding to several different cell surface receptors called is_associated_with::chemokine receptors. These receptors include CCR1, CCR2B and CCR5.

Monocyte chemotactic protein 2 (MCP-2) is a CC chemokine that utilizes multiple cellular receptors to attract and activate human leukocytes. MCP-2 is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 by virtue of its high-affinity binding to the receptor CCR5, one of the major co-receptors for HIV-1.