C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), is a member of the CC family of chemokines which can recruit leukocytes to sites of inflammation. CCL5 exerts its effect by interacting with the chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR3, CCR4, and CCR5. It plays an active role in recruiting a variety of leukocytes into inflammatory sites, including T cells, macrophages, eosinophils, and basophils. In collaboration with certain cytokines that are released by T cells such as IL-2 and IFN-γ, CCL5 also induces the activation and proliferation of NK cells to generate CC chemokine-activated killer cells, which are highly cytolytic.
