C-C chemokine receptor type 3 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''CCR3''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
.
CCR3 has also recently been designated CD193 (
cluster of differentiation 193).
Function
The protein encoded by this gene is a receptor for C-C type
chemokines. It belongs to family 1 of the
G protein-coupled receptor
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), also known as seven-(pass)-transmembrane domain receptors, 7TM receptors, heptahelical receptors, serpentine receptors, and G protein-linked receptors (GPLR), form a large group of evolutionarily related ...
s. This receptor binds and responds to a variety of chemokines, including eotaxin (
CCL11), eotaxin-3 (
CCL26), MCP-3 (
CCL7), MCP-4 (
CCL13), and RANTES (
CCL5). It is highly expressed in eosinophils and basophils, and is also detected in TH1 and TH2 cells, as well as in airway epithelial cells. This receptor may contribute to the accumulation and activation of eosinophils and other inflammatory cells in the allergic airway, and possibly at sites of parasitic infection. It is also known to be an entry co-receptor for
HIV-1, enabling viral infection in cells that also express
CD4
In molecular biology, CD4 (cluster of differentiation 4) is a glycoprotein that serves as a co-receptor for the T-cell receptor (TCR). CD4 is found on the surface of immune cells such as helper T cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic c ...
, the receptor of HIV-1. This gene and seven other chemokine receptor genes form a chemokine receptor gene cluster on the chromosomal region 3p21. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein have been described.
See also
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Cluster of differentiation
Interactions
CCR3 (gene) has been shown to
interact with
CCL5.
References
Further reading
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External links
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Chemokine receptors
Clusters of differentiation
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