Human CCL13/MCP-4 Antibody

Human CCL13 is a CC chemokine recently cloned from a human fetal and a human heart cDNA library. Human CCL13 cDNA encodes a 98 amino acid residue precursor protein with a 23 amino acid residue hydrophobic signal peptide that is cleaved to yield an 8 kDa, 75 aa mature CCL13. Mature CCL13 lacks any potential N-glycosylation sites and shares a pyroglutamate proline motif with other human MCP proteins. Human CCL13 is most homologous to MCP-1, 3 and Eotaxin, exhibiting approximately 65-66% amino acid sequence identity. CCL13 mRNA is expressed by a number of activated cell types, including endothelial cells, macrophages, bronchial epithelium and type II alveolar cells, and perhaps lymphocytes. CCL13 is a chemoattractant for monocytes and eosinophils, and activates basophils. In addition, it has been reported to be chemotactic for CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, with an activity almost equivalent to that of MCP-3. The bioactivities of CCL13 is most likely mediated by the CC chemokine receptors CCR-2 and CCR-3, both of which have been shown to bind CCL13.