CD1a

CD1a is one of the group 1 human CD1 molecules, presenting lipid and glycolipid antigens to T cells in an MHC class I-like fold. Its hydrophobic antigen-binding groove accommodates ligands such as dideoxymycobactin lipopeptides from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which activate CD1a-restricted T cells. Expression is prominent on Langerhans cells of the epidermis and on cortical thymocytes, making CD1a the classic immunohistochemical marker for Langerhans cell histiocytosis and a standard tool for identifying dendritic cell subsets. CD1a-restricted autoreactive T cells that recognize endogenous lipids have been described, implicating the molecule in skin inflammatory circuits. Unlike MHC molecules, the CD1 genes show little polymorphism.