Chemokines are a class of chemotactic cytokines, or small secreted protein signals. Chemokines are specifically trophic molecules; that is, they signal leukocytes to move in a specific direction, up the gradient of chemokine concentration. Chemokines are divided on the basis of the protein structure according to cysteine motifs. The CxC group includes such molecules as interleukin-8 and platelet factor 4; the C C group includes such molecules as eotaxin and monocyte chemoattractant protein-3.

The discovery that the b chemokines RANTES, MIP (macrophage inflammatory proteins) 1alpha and 1beta suppress HIV-1 provided the initial connection and indicated that these molecules might control infection as part of immune responses in vivo.

The association of chemokine production with antigen-induced proliferative responses, more favorable clinical status in HIV infection, as well as with an uninfected status in subjects at risk for infection suggests a positive role for these molecules in controlling the natural course of HIV infection.

See also

• Chemotaxis
• Paracrine signalling

External links

• List of chemokines and their receptors
• Suppression of HIV by chemokines