protein_function: Chemotactic factor that attracts monocytes, but notneutrophils.
Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1), a member of the chemokine(chemotactic cytokine) family, is a potent monocyte agonist that is upregulated by oxidized lipids.1 MCP-1 is also known as CCL2, SCYA2, MCAF. MCAF is a member of family of factors involved in immune and inflammatory responses. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence reveals the primary structure of the MCAF precursor to be composed of a putative signal peptide sequence of 23 amino acid residues and a mature MCAF sequence of 76 amino acid residues.2 MCP-1 plays a unique and crucial role in the initiation of atherosclerosis and may provide a new therapeutic target in this disorder.3