Description
CCL4, (C-C motif chemokine 4; macrophage inflammatory protein 1beta) is a chemokine secreted at sites of inflammation by activated leukocytes, lymphocytes, vascular endothelial cells and pulmonary smooth cells. CCL4 attracts a variety of immune cells to sites of microbial infection as well as to pathologic inflammation, such as allergic asthma and ischemic myocardium. Full-length and truncated CCL4 exert biological activity through the receptor CCR5. The truncated form of CCL4 interacts additionally with CCR1 and CCR2b. The ability of CCL4 to bind CCR5 inhibits the cellular entry of M-tropic HIV. Both CCL4 forms block HIV-1 infection of T cells by inducing the downregulation of CCR5