Novel protein with chemokine activity

This patent application is centred around the therapeutic applications of a new member of the chemokine family of chemotactic cytokines known as stimulated T-cell chemoattractant protein-1 (STCP-1) or macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC). STCP-1 was shown to be biologically active in two assays, inducing an increase in intracellular Ca2+ in TH2 lymphocytes and inducing an increase in the cellular migration of TH1 and TH2 lymphocytes. This chemokine was reported to inhibit HIV-1 invasion of T-tropic virus and thus, claims are made for STCP-1 or a peptide fragment to treat HIV infection, AIDS and related disorders.