Description
MCP-5 or CCL12 is a cloned mouse CC chemokine most closely related to human MCP1 (66% amino acid sequence identity in the mature protein). Mouse MCP-5 encodes a 104 amino acid residue precursor protein with a 22 aa residue predicted hydrophobic signal sequence that is cleaved to generate a 82 aa residue mature protein. MCP-5 is expressed constitutively in the thymus and lymph nodes. Under inflammatory conditions, its expression is also induced in activated macrophages and mast cells. The gene for mouse MCP1 has been mapped to the CC chemokine cluster on chromosome 11. Recombinant MCP-5 has been shown to be a potent chemoattractant for monocytes and lymphocytes but not neutrophils. At high concentrations, MCP-5 will also chemoattract eosinophils. MCP-5 has been found to be a functional ligand for CCR2 but not CCR1, CCR3 or CCR5