Background
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RANTES was identified in 1988, as a result of a subtractive hybridization screen for mRNA expressed by T cells, but not by B cells. In addition to T cells, RANTES is also produced by epithelial cells, monocytes, fibroblasts, and mesanglial cells. Platelets and eosinophils release RANTES from intracellular storage granules upon activation. Several high affinity receptors for RANTES have been described, including CCR1, CCR3, CCR5, and cytomegalovirus receptor US28. RANTES also binds to the erythrocyte Duffy antigen receptor (DARC) with low affinity. RANTES regulates the trafficking of cells expressing these receptors, including T cells (especially memory T cells), eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, macrophages, microglia, NK cells, dendritic cells, mast cells, and neurons. RANTES is also observed to induce Ca2+ flux and changes in protein tyrosine phosphorylation. RANTES is important in a number of disease states, including inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, experimental autoimmune encephalopathy, and anti-GMB glomerulonephritis. By recruiting eosinophils, RANTES plays a role in asthma and allergy, and RANTES antagonists capable of blocking eosinophil chemotaxis are currently under investigation as potential therapeutics. In rats, RANTES has an important role in HIV infection: R5 (macrophage tropic) HIV-1 uses CCR5 as a coreceptor, and several CCR5 ligands, including RANTES, MIP-1alpha, and MIP-1beta, have been found to suppress HIV infection.
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