HCC 1 Human (66 a.a.)

HCC-1, also known as CCL14, is a member of the CC chemokine family. Chemokines are small cytokines or signaling proteins secreted by cells. The primary function of chemokines is to induce chemotaxis in nearby responsive cells. HCC-1 is particularly known for its role in attracting monocytes, a type of white blood cell, to sites of inflammation or injury.

The gene encoding HCC-1 is located on chromosome 17q11.2. This gene is part of a cluster of CC cytokine genes. The protein itself is composed of 66 amino acids, resulting in a molecular weight of approximately 7.8 kDa . The amino acid sequence includes four highly conserved residues typical of CC chemokines .

HCC-1 is secreted by various tissues, including skeletal muscle, heart, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and plasma . The protein is produced in multiple forms, distinguished by differential N-terminal truncation, resulting in variants containing 74, 72, 71, or 66 amino acid residues .

HCC-1 signals through the CCR1 receptor and is known to chemoattract blood monocytes . It induces changes in intracellular calcium concentration and enzyme release in monocytes . This chemokine plays a crucial role in the immune response by directing monocytes to sites where they are needed, such as areas of tissue damage or infection.

Recombinant HCC-1 is produced using an E. coli expression system . The recombinant protein is purified to a high degree, with a purity of ≥98% as determined by SDS-PAGE and HPLC analyses . The endotoxin concentration is kept below 1 EU/µg to ensure its suitability for research applications .

Recombinant HCC-1 is widely used in research to study its role in immune response and inflammation. It is particularly useful in functional assays to investigate its ability to chemoattract human monocytes . The protein is also used to explore the signaling pathways activated by the CCR1 receptor and to understand the broader implications of chemokine signaling in health and disease.