Chemokines are a group of small (approximately 8 to 14 kD), mostly basic, structurally
related molecules that regulate cell trafficking of various types of leukocytes through
interactions with a subset of 7-transmembrane, G protein-coupled receptors. Chemokines
also play fundamental roles in the development, homeostasis, and function of the immune
system, and they have effects on cells of the central nervous system as well as on
endothelial cells involved in angiogenesis or angiostasis. Chemokines are divided into 2
major subfamilies, CXC and CC, based on the arrangement of the first 2 of the 4 conserved
cysteine residues; the 2 cysteines are separated by a single amino acid in CXC chemokines
and are adjacent in CC chemokines.
NCBI Summary:
This gene is one of two Cys-Cys (CC) cytokine genes clustered on the q arm of chromosome 7. Cytokines are a family of secreted proteins involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes. The CC cytokines are proteins characterized by two adjacent cysteines. The cytokine encoded by this gene displays chemotactic activity for normal peripheral blood eosinophils and basophils. The product of this gene is one of three related chemokines that specifically activate chemokine receptor CCR3. The exact function of this chemokine is unclear, but it may contribute to the eosinophil accumulation in atopic diseases.
General function
Ligand, Cytokine
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Cellular localization
Secreted
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Ovarian function
Ovulation
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Kenneth H. H. Wong et al 2002 reported the expression, Hormonal Regulation, and Cyclic Variation of
Chemokines in the Rat Ovary.
A growing body of evidence suggests that mammalian ovulation bears similarities to local inflammatory reactions.
Monocytes/macrophages, eosinophils, and neutrophils are known to infiltrate the area surrounding the dominant follicle
before ovulation. Candidate local chemoattractants may include a family of small cytokines, also known as chemokines. In
the present study, quantitative RT-PCR was used to initially identify and quantify the chemokines expressed in the
preovulatory rat ovary. The chemokines monocyte chemotatic protein 1 (MCP-1), MCP-3, macrophage inflammatory protein
1 (MIP-1), MIP-1, MIP-1, regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted, eotaxin, interferon-inducible
protein of 10 kDa, growth-regulated oncogene, lymphotactin, and fractalkine were all expressed in the PMSG-primed rat
ovary 6 h post human CG. The cyclic variation of the ovary-positive chemokines was also evaluated throughout the course of a superovulated ovarian
cycle. Significant preovulatory up-regulation relative to the untreated control state was documented for MCP-1 (18-fold), MCP-3 (12-fold), and growth-regulated oncogene (25-fold). In contrast, the preovulatory ovarian expression of eotaxin, fractalkine and regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted was not increased. These observations
suggest that intraovarian chemokines may be responsible for the cyclic intraovarian residence of representatives of the white
blood cell series.
Expression regulated by
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Ovarian localization
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Northern blot analysis
detected a 0.8-kb SCYA26 transcript at low levels in heart and ovary; however, RT-PCR
analysis detected ubiquitous expression of SCYA26.