CCL26 Gene - Eotaxin-3: Function, Expression, and Disease Associations

CCL26 (C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 26), also known as eotaxin-3, is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family. It is primarily produced by endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells in response to interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13). CCL26 selectively binds to the chemokine receptor CCR3, which is highly expressed on eosinophils, basophils, and Th2 lymphocytes, mediating their chemotaxis and activation. This gene plays a critical role in allergic inflammation, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and other eosinophilic disorders.

Tissue Expression

Cell Line Expression

Hotspot Mutations

Mutation functional classification

• Chemokine signaling pathway (KEGG: hsa04062)

• Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction (KEGG: hsa04060)

• IL-4 and IL-13 signaling (Reactome: R-HSA-6785807)

CCL26 (eotaxin-3) is a 94-amino-acid secreted chemokine with a typical CC motif. It is produced as a precursor with a 23-amino-acid signal peptide, which is cleaved to yield the mature protein. The mature protein contains four conserved cysteine residues that form two disulfide bonds, characteristic of CC chemokines. CCL26 specifically binds to the G-protein-coupled receptor CCR3, leading to intracellular calcium mobilization, integrin activation, and chemotaxis of eosinophils and other CCR3+ cells. Its expression is tightly regulated by Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 via STAT6 signaling.