CXCL2 is a chemokine induced by endotoxin and serves as an extremely potent chemo-attractant for neutrophils, acting as a crucial inflammatory mediator. CXCL2 could be produced by multiple, different cell types, including macrophages and cancer cells. CXCL2 is involved in cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, and wound healing.
The amino acid sequence of human CXCL2 protein has low homology between mouse and rat CXCL2 protein.
CXCL2 is 90% identical in amino acid sequence as a related chemokine, CXCL1. The gene for CXCL2 is located on human chromosome 4 in a cluster of other CXC chemokines. CXCL2 binds to the G-protein coupled receptor CXCR2 (IL-8RB) expressed on macrophages, neutrophils, and epithelial cells and its classical function is to act as chemotactic factors attracting neutrophils to sites of injury.
In enterocytes, LPS induces CXCL2 expression and promotes migration of neutrophils in a model of platelet-activating factor induced shock and bowel injury. In acute lung injury, CXCR2 ligands, including CXCL1/2/3, have chemotactic effects for polymorphonuclear leukocytes. CXCL2 could provoke a dose-dependent increase of colorectal tumor cell migration in vitro. Further, according to Bachmeier et al., CXCL-1 and −2 silencing could down-regulate several metastasis-promoting genes and inhibit the metastatic potential of breast cancer cells.