Monocyte Chemotactic Protein 1 (MCP1)

CCL2 is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family that is also known as monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). This chemokine is produced predominantly by macrophages and endothelial cells and is a potent chemotactic factor for monocytes as a protein precursor containing signal peptide of 23 amino acids and a mature peptide of 76 amino acids. It is a monomeric polypeptide, with a molecular weight of approximately 13kDa.

CCL2 recruits monocytes, memory T cells, and dendritic cells to sites of tissue injury and infection. Expression of this proinflammatory chemokine is increased in atherosclerotic lesions, and inhibition of its expression or that of its receptor, CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), reduces the extent of atheroma formation in hypercholesterolemic mice.