Description
The CXC chemokine ligand 11 (CXCL11) or IFN-inducible T- cell -chemoattractant (I- TAC) belongs to the CXC chemokine family characterized by the presence of 1 amino acid in between the 2 NH2-terminal cysteines. CXCL11 is produced by a variety of cells including leukocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells upon stimulation with interferons (IFNs). Simultaneous stimulation of fibroblasts or endothelial cells with IFN-gamma and interleukin-1b or the TLR3 ligand double-stranded RNA resulted in a synergistic increase of CXCL11 production. CXCL11 attracts activated T- helper 1 (Th1) lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. Like CXCL9 or monokine induced by IFN- gamma (Mig) and CXCL10 or IFN-gamma-inducible protein- 10 (IP-10), CXCL11 signals through CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3)