Rat CXCL2, also named CINC-3, is belonging to the CXC chemokine family. The protein sequence of mouse CXCL2 shows approximately 63% identity to that of mouse KC, another mouse alpha chemokine whose expression is induced by PDGF. The amino acid sequence of mouse CXCL2 is 60 % identical to human CXCL2. This chemokine is secreted from a mouse macrophage cell line. The functional receptor for CXCL2 has been identified as CXCR2. CXCL2 is a part of chemokine superfamily, which encodes secretory proteins involved in immune regulation and inflammation. CXCL2, a critical chemokine for neutrophils, has been shown to be produced in the rat intestine in response to platelet-activating factor (PAF) and to mediate intestinal inflammation and injury.