Isolation, characterisation and expression of mRNAs encoding the ovine CC chemokines, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1α and -2

Abstract

CC chemokines are important mediators of immune responses, orchestrating the differential recruitment of various leukocyte populations. Despite the large number of known CC chemokines in other species, no cDNA encoding ovine CC chemokines have been isolated. A homology cloning strategy was utilised to isolate the cDNA of ovine CC chemokines. Full-length monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1α and -2 cDNA have been isolated. The predicted ovine MCP-1α amino acid sequence shares 87 and 75% identity with bovine MCP-1α and porcine MCP-1, respectively. The predicted ovine MCP-2 amino acid sequence shares 92 and 85% identity with bovine and porcine MCP-2, respectively. Northern blot analysis of ..