MIP-3 alpha Human Active Protein

This antimicrobial gene belongs to the subfamily of small cytokine CC genes. Cytokines are a family of secreted proteins involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes. The CC cytokines are proteins characterized by two adjacent cysteines. The protein encoded by this gene displays chemotactic activity for lymphocytes and can repress proliferation of myeloid progenitors. Two transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2014]

CCL20: Chemotactic factor that attracts lymphocytes and, slightly, neutrophils, but not monocytes. Inhibits proliferation of myeloid progenitors in colony formation assays. May be involved in formation and function of the mucosal lymphoid tissues by attracting lymphocytes and dendritic cells towards epithelial cells. C-terminal processed forms have been shown to be equally chemotactically active for leukocytes. Possesses antibacterial activity E.coli 25922 and S.aureus 29213. Belongs to the intercrine beta (chemokine CC) family. 2 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Protein type: Chemokine; Motility/polarity/chemotaxis; Secreted, signal peptide; Secreted

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 2q36.3

Cellular Component: extracellular space; extracellular region

Molecular Function: protein binding; chemokine activity

Biological Process: wound healing; cell-cell signaling; defense response to bacterium; immune response; chemotaxis; inflammatory response; signal transduction; positive regulation of interleukin-1 alpha biosynthetic process; positive regulation of nitric-oxide synthase biosynthetic process