Description
This gene is one of several cytokine genes clustered on the q-arm of chromosome 17. Chemokines are a superfamilyof secreted proteins involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes. The superfamily is divided intofour subfamilies based on the arrangement of N-terminal cysteine residues of the mature peptide. This chemokineis a member of the CC subfamily which is characterized by two adjacent cysteine residues. This cytokine displayschemotactic activity for monocytes and basophils but not for neutrophils or eosinophils. It has been implicatedin the pathogenesis of diseases characterized by monocytic infiltrates, like psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis andatherosclerosis. It binds to chemokine receptors CCR2 and CCR4