DEC-205 (LY75, lymphocyte antigen 75, GP200-MR6) is a 1,695 residue (mature form) multilectin receptor that belongs to the MMR (macrophage mannose receptor) family of multidomain molecules. MMR family molecules mediate membrane receptor targeting to endosomes or lysosomes rich in major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) products. Expressed in mature dendritic cells (DC), DEC-205 contains an extracellular N-terminal cysteine-rich domain, a fibronectin type II domain, ten C-type carbohydrate recognition domains, a single transmembrane region and a small cytoplasmic C-terminal domain (31 amino acids) containing a tyrosine at 1679. DEC-205 elicits either an agonistic or antagonistic effect on IL-4 function, which is demonstrated by the ability of DEC-205 to imitate IL-4-induced maturation of epithelium or to inhibit IL-4-induced proliferation of T cells, respectively.
