The receptors DEC-205 expressed by dendritic cells and thymic epithelial cells is involved in antigen processing

Antigen-presentation factors of dendritic cells and thymic cells is associated with a high level expression of DEC-205. DEC is an integral membrane protein homologous to the macrophage mannose receptor and is capable of binding carbohydrates and mediate endocytosis. Test showed that the dendritic cells presented rabbit anti-DEC-205 to the T-cell clones two orders of magnitude more efficiently than the non-immune rabbit IgG-peptide. DEC-205 is rapidly taken up by means of coated pits and vesicles and delivered to a multivascular endosomal compartment that resembles the MHC class II-containing vesicles.