CCL8 Gene: Function, Expression, and Disease Associations | MCP-2 Chemokine

CCL8 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 8), also known as monocyte chemoattractant protein 2 (MCP-2), is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family. It is produced by various cell types including monocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts. CCL8 binds to chemokine receptors such as CCR1, CCR2, and CCR5, and plays a key role in recruiting monocytes, T cells, and eosinophils to sites of inflammation. It is involved in inflammatory diseases, viral infection (e.g., HIV-1 entry inhibition), and cancer progression.

Tissue Expression

Cell Line Expression

Hotspot Mutations

Mutation functional classification

• Chemokine signaling pathway (KEGG hsa04062)

• Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction (KEGG hsa04060)

• Toll-like receptor signaling pathway (KEGG hsa04620)

CCL8 is a 99-amino-acid secreted chemokine (UniProt P80075) with a typical CC chemokine structure containing four conserved cysteine residues. It is synthesized as a precursor with a 23-amino-acid signal peptide. Mature CCL8 (76 residues) forms a monomeric globular domain stabilized by two disulfide bonds. It binds G-protein-coupled receptors CCR1, CCR2, and CCR5, inducing calcium flux and integrin activation. Post-translational modifications include N-terminal processing that modulates receptor specificity.