C-C motif chemokine ligand 6 (CCL6)

C-C motif chemokine ligand 6 (CCL6), also known as C10, is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family that is primarily expressed in rodents, including mice and rats (UniProt: P27784). It is secreted by various cell types, most notably macrophages, neutrophils, and bone marrow-derived cells, often in response to inflammatory stimuli such as IL-4 or IL-13 (NCBI Gene: 20305). CCL6 functions as a chemoattractant for monocytes, T-lymphocytes, and eosinophils by binding to and activating the C-C chemokine receptor type 1 (CCR1) (PubMed: 10438924). In disease models, CCL6 is heavily involved in the progression of chronic inflammatory conditions, tissue fibrosis, and the promotion of tumor growth and metastasis by recruiting myeloid cells to the tumor microenvironment (PubMed: 26109430). Because CCL6 lacks a direct human ortholog—with human CCL15 and CCL23 being its closest functional counterparts—it is primarily utilized as a target and biomarker in preclinical research to understand leukocyte trafficking and inflammatory pathology.

Other names

C10MRP-1Scya6Small-inducible cytokine A6Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 6

CCL6 acts as an agonist for the C-C chemokine receptor type 1 (CCR1), inducing chemotaxis and activation of myeloid cells (PubMed: 10438924).