C-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17) (CCL17)

C-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17), also known as thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family [1, 5]. It is primarily produced by dendritic cells, macrophages, and endothelial cells and acts as a potent chemoattractant for T cells expressing the CCR4 receptor, particularly Th2-type helper T cells and regulatory T cells [2, 7, 10]. This recruitment is central to the pathogenesis of allergic diseases like atopic dermatitis and asthma, as well as certain cancers and cardiovascular conditions [3, 5, 12]. In clinical practice, serum CCL17 levels are widely recognized as a reliable biomarker for monitoring the severity of atopic dermatitis [5, 10]. Therapeutic strategies targeting CCL17 involve neutralizing antibodies, such as the investigational drug GSK3858279, which are designed to disrupt its interaction with CCR4 to alleviate chronic pain and inflammation [16, 20, 21]. Additionally, CCL17 has been implicated in the development of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by attracting regulatory T cells to the site of malignancy [5, 30].

Other names

Thymus and activation-regulated chemokineTARCSmall-inducible cytokine A17SCYA17ABCD-2T cell-directed CC chemokineCC chemokine TARC

Neutralization of the chemokine ligand to prevent binding to CCR4 and CCR8 receptors, thereby inhibiting the recruitment of Th2 cells and regulatory T cells and reducing peripheral pain signaling.