C-C or β chemokine family members are characterized by a pair of adjacent cysteine residues and serve as potent chemoattractants and activators of monocytes and T cells. C-C chemokine receptor family members include CKR-1, CKR-2, CKR-2A, CKR-2B, CKR-3, CKR-4, CKR-5, CKR-6, CKR-7, CKR-8, CKR-9, CKR-10 and the Duffy blood group antigen. Each of these receptors are G protein-coupled, seven pass transmembrane domain proteins whose major physiological role is to function in the chemotaxis of T cells and phagocytic cells to areas of inflammation. However, this receptor family has also been shown to facilitate viral infection.
