Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-3 (MCP-3/CCL7) is a 9 kDa chemokine belonging to the CC-chemokine subfamily. Structurally, it consists of 76 amino acids and shares 71% sequence homology with MCP-1 and 58% with MCP-2 . Produced by macrophages, dendritic cells, and tumor cell lines, MCP-3 signals through G protein-coupled receptors CCR1, CCR2, and CCR3, enabling its role in immune cell recruitment and inflammation . Unlike other MCPs, it exhibits broad cellular activation, targeting monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and natural killer cells .
MCP-3 regulates immune responses through:
Chemotaxis: Directs migration of monocytes, lymphocytes, and dendritic cells to inflammation sites .
Cytokine storm modulation: Elevated levels correlate with severe viral infections (e.g., SFTS, COVID-19), driving hyperinflammation .
Tumor microenvironment interaction: Promotes macrophage infiltration in cancers, potentially aiding metastasis via protease secretion .
Receptor | Binding Affinity | Target Cells |
---|---|---|
CCR1 | High | Monocytes, NK cells |
CCR2 | Moderate | Monocytes, T cells |
CCR3 | Moderate | Eosinophils, basophils |
Data synthesized from . |
SFTS prognosis: Serum MCP-3 >10.89 pg/ml predicts fatal outcomes with 88.2% AUC (P <0.001) .
COVID-19 severity: Elevated MCP-3 and IP-10 levels correlate with critical illness (AUC=0.99 when combined) .
Inflammatory diseases: Linked to Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and multiple sclerosis .
Mechanistic studies: Current gaps in understanding MCP-3’s role in SFTS pathogenesis necessitate in vivo models .
Therapeutic targeting: CCR2/CCR3 inhibition is being explored to mitigate cytokine storms in viral infections .
Diagnostic tools: Quanterix’s Simoa® MCP-3 Discovery Kit achieves detection limits of 0.124 pg/mL, enhancing clinical utility .
The primary function of CCL7 is to attract monocytes to sites of inflammation or injury, where they can differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells . This process is essential for the immune system’s ability to respond to infections and tissue damage . The biological activity of CCL7 is typically measured by its ability to chemoattract human neutrophils .
Recombinant human MCP-3 is used extensively in research to study its role in immune responses and its potential therapeutic applications . The protein is typically produced in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and is available in a lyophilized (freeze-dried) form . For long-term storage, it is recommended to keep the lyophilized product at -20°C and reconstituted material should be aliquoted and frozen at -20°C with a carrier protein such as human serum albumin (HSA) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) to ensure stability .