Macrophage-derived Chemokine David Chantry and Patrick W. Gray* ICOS Corporation, 22021 20th Avenue SE, Bothell, WA 98021, USA * corresponding author tel: 425-485-1900, fax: 425-485-1961, e-mail:
[email protected] DOI: 10.1006/rwcy.2001.11022.
SUMMARY
Alternative names
Macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) is a member of the CC chemokine family. The receptor for MDC is CCR4, a G protein-coupled receptor expressed primarily on the TH2 subset of T lymphocytes and on developing T cells within the thymus. Consistent with this expression pattern, MDC is a chemoattractant for these cell types. MDC is also chemotactic for IL-2-activated NK cells, dendritic cells, and monocytes, although whether these effects are mediated through CCR4 or another, as yet to be identified receptor, is unclear. In vivo, MDC appears to be involved in the migration of developing T cells in the thymus, an