The mouse CD1d cytoplasmic tail mediates CD1d trafficking and antigen presentation by adaptor protein 3-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

The short cytoplasmic tail of mouse CD1d (mCD1d) is required for its endosomal localization, for the presentation of some glycolipid Ags, and for the development of Valpha14i NKT cells. This tail has a four-amino acid Tyr-containing motif, Tyr-Gln-Asp-Ile (YQDI), similar to those sequences known to be important for the interaction with adaptor protein complexes (AP) that mediate the endosomal localization of many different proteins. In fact, mCD1d has been shown previously to interact with the AP-3 adaptor complex.