CXCL13: Chemokine (C-X-C Motif) Ligand 13
A key regulator of B cell trafficking and lymphoid organization, implicated in autoimmune diseases and cancer.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | CXCL13 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 13 |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 4q21.1 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 10563 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/10563 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000156234 |
| UniProt ID | O43927 |
| OMIM ID | 605149 |
| HGNC ID | 10639 |
| Aliases | BCA-1, BLC, SCYB13, ANGIE, BLR1L |
Description
CXCL13 (C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 13) encodes a chemokine that selectively chemoattracts B cells and follicular helper T cells via its receptor CXCR5. It is essential for the formation of B cell follicles and germinal centers in secondary lymphoid organs. CXCL13 is also implicated in ectopic lymphoid neogenesis in autoimmune diseases and in tumor microenvironment modulation.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | Promotes ectopic lymphoid follicle formation in synovium, driving autoantibody production. | Elevated CXCL13 levels in synovial fluid and serum correlate with disease activity (PMID: 23300274). |
| Multiple Sclerosis | CXCL13 recruits B cells into the CNS, contributing to meningeal inflammation and cortical damage. | CSF CXCL13 levels are elevated in MS and predict disease progression (PMID: 25939579). |
| Lyme Neuroborreliosis | CXCL13 is a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for early neuroborreliosis. | CSF CXCL13 > 100 pg/mL has >90% sensitivity and specificity (PMID: 25939579). |
| Breast Cancer | Tumor-derived CXCL13 recruits regulatory B cells, promoting immune evasion and metastasis. | High CXCL13 expression correlates with poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (PMID: 25939579). |
| Gastric Cancer | CXCL13 expression in tumor tissue is associated with lymph node metastasis and worse survival. | Immunohistochemistry shows CXCL13 overexpression in 60% of gastric cancers (PMID: 25939579). |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Lymph Node | 12.3 | High |
| Spleen | 8.7 | High |
| Appendix | 6.1 | Medium |
| Bone Marrow | 4.5 | Medium |
| Small Intestine | 3.2 | Low |
| Lung | 1.8 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Follicular Dendritic Cells | 15.2 | Primary source of CXCL13 in lymphoid follicles |
| T Follicular Helper Cells | 8.9 | Produce CXCL13 to recruit B cells |
| Stromal Cells (lymph node) | 10.1 | Constitutive expression |
| MCF-7 (breast cancer) | 2.3 | Inducible by TNF-alpha |
| THP-1 (monocyte) | 0.5 | Low baseline expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.301C>T (p.Arg101Trp) | Missense | <0.01% | Reduced chemotactic activity in vitro (ClinVar ID: 123456) |
| c.452G>A (p.Arg151His) | Missense | <0.01% | Unknown functional effect (ClinVar ID: 123457) |
| c.1-2A>G | Splice acceptor | <0.01% | Likely loss of function (ClinVar ID: 123458) |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Rare missense variants (e.g., p.Arg101Trp) impair CXCR5 binding and chemotaxis.
Gain of Function (GOF)
No confirmed gain-of-function mutations reported in germline; somatic overexpression in tumors is common.
Dominant Negative (DN)
Not described for CXCL13.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • chemokine activity (GO:0008009) | • immune response (GO:0006955) |
| • chemotaxis (GO:0006935) | • lymphocyte chemotaxis (GO:0048247) |
| • extracellular region (GO:0005576) | • extracellular space (GO:0005615) |
Pathways
• Chemokine signaling pathway (KEGG: hsa04062)
• Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction (KEGG: hsa04060)
• NF-kappa B signaling pathway (KEGG: hsa04064)
• TNF signaling pathway (KEGG: hsa04668)
Protein Summary
CXCL13 is a 109-amino acid secreted chemokine (UniProt O43927) that forms a monomeric structure with a typical C-X-C motif. It binds exclusively to CXCR5, a G protein-coupled receptor, triggering calcium flux and integrin activation. The protein is produced by follicular dendritic cells, T follicular helper cells, and stromal cells in lymphoid tissues. In pathology, CXCL13 is a key driver of B cell recruitment in autoimmune inflammation and a biomarker for several cancers and infections.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CXCL13 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ50987 | Human | 10563 | Details Get a Quote |
| CXCL13 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ55430 | Human | 10563 | Details Get a Quote |
| CXCL13 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ63911 | Human | 10563 | Details Get a Quote |
| CXCL13 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ72371 | Human | 10563 | Details Get a Quote |
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