RESUMO
Great interest has arisen in the past years in the development of hierarchical zeolites, having at least two levels of porosities. Hierarchical zeolites show an enhanced accessibility, leading to improved catalytic activity in reactions suffering from steric and/or diffusional limitations. Moreover, the secondary porosity offers an ideal space for the deposition of additional active phases and for functionalization with organic moieties. However, the secondary surface represents a discontinuity of the crystalline framework, with a low connectivity and a high concentration of silanols. Consequently, hierarchical zeolites exhibit a less "zeolitic behaviour" than conventional ones in terms of acidity, hydrophobic/hydrophilic character, confinement effects, shape-selectivity and hydrothermal stability. Nevertheless, this secondary surface is far from being amorphous, which provides hierarchical zeolites with a set of novel features. A wide variety of innovative strategies have been developed for generating a secondary porosity in zeolites. In the present review, the different synthetic routes leading to hierarchical zeolites have been classified into five categories: removal of framework atoms, surfactant-assisted procedures, hard-templating, zeolitization of preformed solids and organosilane-based methods. Significant advances have been achieved recently in several of these alternatives. These include desilication, due to its versatility, dual templating with polyquaternary ammonium surfactants and framework reorganization by treatment with surfactant-containing basic solutions. In the last two cases, the materials so prepared show both mesoscopic ordering and zeolitic lattice planes. Likewise, interesting results have been obtained with the incorporation of different types of organosilanes into the zeolite crystallization gels, taking advantage of their high affinity for silicate and aluminosilicate species. Crystallization of organofunctionalized species favours the formation of organic-inorganic composites that, upon calcination, are transformed into hierarchical zeolites. However, in spite of this impressive progress in novel strategies for the preparation of hierarchical zeolites, significant challenges are still ahead. The overall one is the development of methods that are versatile in terms of zeolite structures and compositions, capable of tuning the secondary porosity properties, and being scaled up in a cost-effective way. Recent works have demonstrated that it is possible to scale-up easily the synthesis of hierarchical zeolites by desilication. Economic aspects may become a significant bottleneck for the commercial application of hierarchical zeolites since most of the synthesis strategies so far developed imply the use of more expensive procedures and reagents compared to conventional zeolites. Nevertheless, the use of hierarchical zeolites as efficient catalysts for the production of high value-added compounds could greatly compensate these increased manufacturing costs.
Assuntos
Zeolitas/síntese química , Tamanho da Partícula , Porosidade , Propriedades de Superfície , Zeolitas/químicaRESUMO
Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis express particular HLA-DR alleles. The DRbeta1 chains of these alleles share a highly homologous amino acid motif, in their third hypervariable (HV3) region, and this motif seems to help the development of rheumatoid arthritis via unknown mechanisms. In an attempt to identify a ligand of this motif, we screened bacterial proteins. HV3 peptides from HLA-DRB1 alleles containing a QKRAA or RRRAA motif bound the 70-kD heat shock protein (HSP) from Escherichia coli, dnaK. In lymphoblastoid cells homozygous for these same HLA-DRB1 alleles the constitutive 70-kD HSP, HSP73, that targets selected proteins to lysosomes coprecipitated with HLA-DR. Thus the QKRAA and RRRAA amino acid motifs of HLA-DR mediate binding of HLA-DR to HSP73. This property may influence the intracellular route, processing or peptide associations of the HLA-DRbeta1 chain in these two rheumatoid arthritis-associated alleles.
Assuntos
Artrite Reumatoide/genética , Artrite Reumatoide/imunologia , Proteínas de Escherichia coli , Antígeno HLA-DR4/genética , Antígeno HLA-DR4/metabolismo , Proteínas de Choque Térmico HSP70/metabolismo , Alelos , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Artrite Reumatoide/etiologia , Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Proteínas de Choque Térmico HSC70 , Humanos , Técnicas In Vitro , Cinética , Ligantes , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/genética , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/metabolismo , Ligação ProteicaRESUMO
The prevalence of high plasmatic levels of homocysteine in hypertensive patients with mild renal dysfunction (MRD) defined by 2003 European Hypertension Society Guidelines (men plasmatic creatinine between 1.3 and 1.5; women plasmatic creatinine between 1.2 and 1.4 mg/dl) has not been previously reported. To evaluate this item 18 MRD patients were recruited (54% males, mean age 59.2 +/- 17.3 years, mean plasmatic creatinine 1.30 +/- 0.12 mg/dl). They were compared with a control group of hypertensives with normal renal function (n = 87, 42,9% males, mean age 53.6 +/- 12.3 years, mean plasmatic creatinine 0.83 +/- 0.21 mg/dl) and a group of 29 chronic renal failure patients (51.7% males, mean age 56.9 +/- 15.0 years, mean plasmatic creatinine 2.39 +/- 0.95 mg/dl). Age and sex differences are not significant, plasmatic creatinine levels are different among three groups (p <0.001, t student test). Basal homocysteine levels of CRF (19.3 +/- 7.1 micromol/l) were higher than those of control group (11,0 +/- 4,3 micromol/l) and MRD patients (14.8 +/- 5.5 micromol/l; p = 0.027 vs. CRF and p = 0.007 vs. control, Mann-Whitney test). Mean creatinine clearance was 30.3 +/- 11.5 ml/min for CRF group, significantly lower than MRD patients creatinine clearance (54.5 +/- 9.4 ml/min, p <0.001, t student test) and control ones (88,9 +/- 18,9 ml/min, p <0.001, t student test). Hypertensive patients with mild renal dysfunction showed higher and pathological levels of homocysteinemia as compared with controls, this finding might be related to the higher cardiovascular risk described in this group of patients.
Assuntos
Hiper-Homocisteinemia/complicações , Hipertensão/sangue , Nefropatias/sangue , Adulto , Idoso , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etiologia , Creatinina/sangue , Feminino , Taxa de Filtração Glomerular , Homocisteína/sangue , Humanos , Hipertensão/complicações , Falência Renal Crônica/sangue , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
The rate of oxalate absorbed from intestine is highly influenced by calcium intake in healthy subjects. It is unknown whether commonly used phosphate binders modify intestinal absorption and renal excretion of oxalate in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This study aims to determine if calcium carbonate or sevelamer influences on urinary oxalate excretion. Twenty patients with CKD (stage 4 and 5 pre-dialysis) were included. Two treatment (1500 mg of calcium carbonate or 2400 mg of sevelamer), two-period (21 days each), crossover study with balanced assignment of the order of administration, and two washout periods were the main characteristics of this study design. Laboratory analyses in each phase included: serum creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, bicarbonate, total cholesterol, and 24 h urinary excretion of oxalate, creatinine, and urea. Creatinine clearance, protein catabolic rate (PNNA), total urinary oxalate excretion, and urinary oxalate / creatinine ratio were determined. Seventeen patients completed both treatment sequences. Total urinary oxalate excretion and urinary oxalate / creatinine ratios decreased significantly with respect to washout periods either after sevelamer or calcium carbonate treatment. The decrease in urinary oxalate excretion was greater after calcium carbonate (41.2+/-17.4%) than after sevelamer treatment (30.4+/-23.8%). There were not significant changes in renal function or PNNA values throughout the study periods. In conclusion, either calcium carbonate or sevelamer significantly reduces urinary oxalate excretion in CKD patients. Further studies will be needed to ascertain whether the type of phosphate binder influences on the accumulation of oxalate in CKD patients.
Assuntos
Carbonato de Cálcio/uso terapêutico , Quelantes/uso terapêutico , Falência Renal Crônica/tratamento farmacológico , Falência Renal Crônica/urina , Oxalatos/urina , Poliaminas/uso terapêutico , Estudos Cross-Over , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , SevelamerRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of high plasma levels of homocysteine in patients with mild renal failure. METHODS: Forty-six chronic renal failure patients (25 males and 21 females, mean age 55.6+/-14.4 years) were recruited for the study. Mean plasma creatinine was 2.1+/-1.0 mg/dl and mean creatinine clearance was 50.6+/-26.3 ml/min. Patients with severe renal failure were excluded. Patients were compared with a control group with normal renal function (n=35, 22 men and 13 women, mean age 50.0+/-11.5 years). Plasma homocysteine values were measured in both groups at baseline and after an oral overload of methionine. RESULTS: Baseline homocysteine levels of patients were higher than those of controls (16.5+/-7.3 vs. 10.4+/-4.2 micromol/l, p<0.0001). Some 34 patients and 4 controls had increased plasma homocysteine levels at baseline. After the oral overload, 4 more patients had abnormally increased homocysteine levels, meaning that 83% of the patients with chronic renal failure had hyperhomocysteinemia. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a very common finding among patients with mild renal failure. The need for vitamin supplementation should be evaluated in the first stage of chronic renal failure.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The restenosis rates after coronary angioplasty persist as an important problem even though multiple drug therapies and different devices have been tried. The reduction of the cholesterol and low density lipoproteins levels (and their oxidation) have proved to have a beneficial effect on atherosclerosis evolution. Both the lipid lowering and antioxidant agents have caused a reduction in the neointimal formation generated with the angioplasty balloon in animals, and their combination to improve endothelial dysfunction in humans. The aim of the present study is to prove whether the whole administration of two potent agents such as simvastatin and probucol, which reduce the lipid levels and their oxidation, are able to lessen the restenosis related process. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty five consecutive patients with coronary angioplasty with no stent to whom 20 mg simvastatin and 500 mg probucol bid were given (group-A) were studied in a prospective non-randomized study. They were compared to a historic group of 40 patients under the standard treatment (group-B). Both groups were angiographically evaluated to determine the restenosis percentage. A lipid profile was performed on group-A patients. RESULTS: The restenosis occurred in 4 (11.4%) in group-A and in 17 (42.5%) in group-B patients and in 4 (10.0%) and 18 (39.1%) lesions respectively (p < 0.01). A new PTCA was performed on 2 (5.7%) group-A patients vs 13 (32.5%) in group-B (p < 0.01). There was a reduction in residual stenosis (34.2 +/- 19.7% vs 48.8 +/- 23.5%, p < 0.01) and a greater minimum luminal diameter (1.76 +/- 0.59 vs 1.46 +/- 0.70 mm, p < 0.05) in group-A than in group-B patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although studies with more patients are required, a combined lipid lowering and antioxidant therapy could achieve a reduction in angioplasty coronary restenosis.
Assuntos
Angioplastia Coronária com Balão , Anticolesterolemiantes/uso terapêutico , Doença das Coronárias/terapia , Probucol/uso terapêutico , Sinvastatina/uso terapêutico , Idoso , Angioplastia Coronária com Balão/efeitos adversos , Colesterol/sangue , Doença das Coronárias/sangue , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , RecidivaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Patients with type II diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of coronary he disease. We investigated the efficacy and safety of pravastatin in the treatment of patients with diabetic nephropathy and hypercholesterolemia. METHOD: In this 6-months study, 12 patients (4 men, 8 women, mean age 60.5 +/- 10.8 years), with diabetic nephropathy and hypercholesterolemia (fasting plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels -LDL-C- > 130 mg/dl) received pravastatin 10 mg/day. The dose could be doubled after 4 weeks. Seven patients have chronic renal failure. RESULTS: Significant reductions in LDL-C (-19.1%, p < 0.05), total cholesterol (-16%, p < 0.01), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-29.2%, p < 0.05), apolipoprotein B (-21.5%, p < 0.05), and triglycerides (-26.0%, p < 0.01) were noted. No changes were found either in high-density-cholesterol or its fractions (HDL2 and HDL3) or in apolipoprotein A plasmatic levels. Pravastatin was well tolerated and no one side effect was detected. No clinically significant changes on the control of diabetes, renal function, as assessed by plasmatic creatinin and creatinin clearance, and proteinuria were seen during the follow-up time. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study demonstrate that pravastatin is well tolerated and effective in lowering total cholesterol and LDL-C in patients with diabetic nephropathy and hypercholesterolemia.
Assuntos
Anticolesterolemiantes/uso terapêutico , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/complicações , Nefropatias Diabéticas/tratamento farmacológico , Hiperlipidemias/tratamento farmacológico , Pravastatina/uso terapêutico , Nefropatias Diabéticas/etiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Hiperlipidemias/etiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Fuel production from plastics is a promising way to reduce landfilling rates while obtaining valuable products. The usage of Ni-supported hierarchical Beta zeolite (h-Beta) for the hydroreforming of the oils coming from LDPE thermal cracking has proved to produce high selectivities to gasoline and diesel fuels (>80%). In the present work, the effect of the Ni loading on Ni/h-Beta is investigated in the hydroreforming of the oils form LDPE thermal cracking. h-Beta samples were impregnated with Ni nitrate, calcined and reduced in H2 up to 550°C to achieve different Ni contents: 1.5%, 4%, 7% and 10%. Larger and more easily reducible metal particles were obtained on Ni 7%/h-Beta and Ni 10%/h-Beta. Hydroreforming tests were carried out in autoclave reactor at 310°C, under 20 bar H2, for 45 min. Ni content progressively increased the amount of gases at the expenses of diesel fractions, while gasoline remained approximately constant about 52-54%. Maximum selectivity to automotive fuels (â¼81%) was obtained with Ni 7%/h-Beta. Ni loading also enhanced olefins saturation up to Ni 7%/h-Beta. High cetane indices (71-86) and octane numbers (89-91) were obtained over all the catalysts. Regarding the different studied Ni contents, Ni 7%/h-Beta constitutes a rather promising catalyst for obtaining high quality fuels from LDPE thermal cracking oils.
Assuntos
Gasolina/análise , Níquel/química , Polietileno/química , Zeolitas/química , Catálise , Óleos/classificação , TemperaturaRESUMO
LPS is the most important antigen of Brucella bacteria which are gram-negative facultative intracellular pathogens infecting a large proportion of animals and humans in the world. In order to get insights into the immune response mechanisms monitored by Brucella, its LPS was used as a model antigen. S-LPS, R-LPS, lipid A and O-chain purified from Brucella abortus were tested in their capacity of inducing SDS-resistant MHC class II molecules after incubation with murine B lymphoma cells. S-LPS and O-chain gave a significant response suggesting that O-chain might induce an association with class II itself or might act as a carrier for antigens to bind MHC class II molecules.
Assuntos
Brucella abortus/química , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/biossíntese , Lipopolissacarídeos/farmacologia , Dodecilsulfato de Sódio/farmacologia , Animais , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/imunologia , Galinhas , Resistência a Medicamentos , Feminino , Temperatura Alta , Técnicas de Imunoadsorção , Lipídeo A/farmacologia , Lipopolissacarídeos/química , Linfoma de Células B/imunologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos CBA , Muramidase/farmacologia , Linfócitos T Auxiliares-Indutores/imunologia , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
We have previously identified an intracellular compartment involved in the association between processed lysozyme and IAk major histocompatibility complex class II molecules (called the lysozyme-loading compartment (LLC)). Here, we show that the LLC polypeptide composition analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis shares similarities with that of early endosomes, but not with that of late endosomes. The transferrin receptor, a well known marker for both early and recycling endosomes, colocalizes with IAk molecules in LLC. Moreover, both transferrin and fluid-phase markers have access to LLC after 15 min of internalization. In the presence of concanamycin B, SDS-stable dimer formation and transport of class II molecules out of LLC are impaired. In contrast, nocodazole treatment has no effect. These results suggest that LLC is a specialized compartment of the recycling pathway involved in lysozyme loading and in the targeting of lysozyme-major histocompatibility class II complexes toward the cell surface.
Assuntos
Linfócitos B/imunologia , Endossomos/imunologia , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/metabolismo , Macrolídeos , Muramidase/metabolismo , Animais , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Linfócitos B/enzimologia , Linfócitos B/ultraestrutura , Fracionamento Celular , Dimerização , Eletroforese em Gel Bidimensional , Endocitose , Endossomos/enzimologia , Endossomos/ultraestrutura , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/efeitos dos fármacos , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/isolamento & purificação , Peroxidase do Rábano Silvestre/metabolismo , Cinética , Linfoma de Células B , Camundongos , Microscopia Eletrônica , Muramidase/isolamento & purificação , Nocodazol/farmacologia , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
Invariant chain associated with class II molecules is proteolytically processed in several distinct intermediates during its transport through the endocytic pathway. Using subcellular fractionation, early and late endosomal compartments were separated in human fibroblasts transfected with HLA-DR (4N5 cells) and supertransfected with invariant chain (4N5Ii cells) or invariant chain lacking most of the cytoplasmic tail (4N5 delta 20Ii cells). Early and late endosome membrane fractions were characterized by morphology and by analyzing the presence of the Rab5 and Rab7 GTPases as markers of early and late endosomes, respectively. The transfer of endocytosed horseradish peroxidase from early to late endosomes proceeded relatively rapid both in 4N5 and 4N5 delta 20Ii cells (t1/2 = 25 min), whereas this transfer was significantly delayed (t1/2 = 2 h) in 4N5Ii cells. Pulse-chase experiments showed that invariant chain and its degradation products were first observed in early endosomes and thereafter in late endosomes. Our results strongly suggest that invariant chain induces a retention mechanism in the endocytic pathway.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Diferenciação de Linfócitos B , Endossomos/metabolismo , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/fisiologia , Transporte Biológico , Compartimento Celular , Linhagem Celular , Endocitose , Endossomos/ultraestrutura , Antígenos HLA-DR/genética , Antígenos HLA-DR/metabolismo , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/genética , Humanos , Cinética , Microscopia Eletrônica , TransfecçãoRESUMO
The processing of exogenous antigens and the association of peptides with class II molecules both occur within the endocytic pathway. 2A4 B lymphoma cells of the H-2k haplotype were grown in the presence or the absence of two different exogenous antigens (hen egg lysozyme and ribonuclease A) internalized by fluid-phase endocytosis. Using subcellular fractionation techniques, we demonstrate that, in the presence of hen egg lysozyme, newly synthesized SDS-stable class II molecules are detected in a dense endocytic compartment which does not have the characteristics of neither early and late endosomes nor lysosomes. In contrast, no SDS-stable class II molecules are observed between ribonuclease A and newly synthesized class II molecules. Interestingly, when class II molecules are analyzed at steady state, SDS-stable class II molecules induced by ribonuclease A are found in a compartment cosedimenting with late endosomes. These results suggest that the tight associations between ribonuclease A or hen egg lysozyme with class II molecules occur in distinct endocytic compartments and that these associations may depend on the sensitivity of antigens to proteolysis.
Assuntos
Apresentação de Antígeno , Linfócitos B/fisiologia , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/fisiologia , Muramidase/imunologia , Ribonuclease Pancreático/imunologia , Animais , Linfócitos B/ultraestrutura , Transporte Biológico , Compartimento Celular , Galinhas , Endocitose , Linfoma de Células B , Camundongos , Frações Subcelulares , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
Association of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules with peptides occurs in a series of endocytic vacuoles, termed MHC class II-enriched compartments (MIICs). Morphological criteria have defined several types of MIICs, including multivesicular MIICs, which are composed of 50-60-nm vesicles surrounded by a limiting membrane. Multivesicular MIICs can fuse with the plasma membrane, thereby releasing their internal vesicles into the extracellular space. The externalized vesicles, termed exosomes, carry MHC class II and can stimulate T-cells in vitro. In this study, we show that exosomes are enriched in the co-stimulatory molecule CD86 and in several tetraspan proteins, including CD37, CD53, CD63, CD81, and CD82. Interestingly, subcellular localization of these molecules revealed that they were concentrated on the internal membranes of multivesicular MIICs. In contrast to the tetraspans, other membrane proteins of MIICs, such as HLA-DM, Lamp-1, and Lamp-2, were mainly localized to the limiting membrane and were hardly detectable on the internal membranes of MIICs nor on exosomes. Because internal vesicles of multivesicular MIICs are thought to originate from inward budding of the limiting membrane, the differential distribution of membrane proteins on the internal and limiting membranes of MIICs has to be driven by active protein sorting.
Assuntos
Linfócitos B/fisiologia , Endossomos/fisiologia , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/química , Antígenos CD/imunologia , Antígenos CD/metabolismo , Antígeno B7-2 , Exocitose/fisiologia , Antígenos HLA-D/metabolismo , Humanos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Proteínas de Membrana Lisossomal , Fusão de Membrana/fisiologia , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Proteínas de Membrana/análise , Microscopia Imunoeletrônica , Linfócitos T/fisiologiaRESUMO
MLN64 is a transmembrane protein that shares homology with the cholesterol binding domain (START domain) of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein is located in the inner membrane of mitochondria, where it facilitates cholesterol import into the mitochondria. Crystallographic analysis showed that the START domain of MLN64 is a cholesterol-binding domain. The present work was undertaken to determine which step of the intracellular cholesterol pathway MLN64 participates in. Using immunocytofluorescence, MLN64 colocalizes with LBPA, a lipid found specifically in late endosomes. Electron microscopy indicates that MLN64 is restricted to the limiting membrane of late endosomes. Microinjection or endocytosis of specific antibodies shows that the START domain of MLN64 is cytoplasmic. Deletion and mutagenesis experiments demonstrate that the amino-terminal part of MLN64 is responsible for its addressing. Although this domain does not contain conventional dileucine- or tyrosine-based targeting signals, we show that a dileucine motif (Leu(66)-Leu(67)) and a tyrosine residue (Tyr(89)) are critical for the targeting or the proper folding of the molecule. Finally, MLN64 colocalizes with cholesterol and Niemann Pick C1 protein in late endosomes. However, complementation assays show that MLN64 is not involved in the Niemann Pick C2 disease which, results in cholesterol lysosomal accumulation. Together, our results show that MLN64 plays a role at the surface of the late endosomes, where it might shuttle cholesterol from the limiting membrane to cytoplasmic acceptor(s).
Assuntos
Colesterol/metabolismo , Endossomos/metabolismo , Fosfoproteínas/metabolismo , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Transporte Biológico , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular , Cricetinae , Primers do DNA , Imunofluorescência , Humanos , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Mutagênese Sítio-Dirigida , Proteína C1 de Niemann-Pick , Fosfoproteínas/genética , Ligação Proteica , Tirosina/metabolismoRESUMO
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules bind antigenic peptides that are translocated from the cytosol into the endoplasmic reticulum by the transporter associated with antigen processing. MHC class I loading independent of this transporter also exists and involves peptides derived from exogenously acquired antigens. Thus far, a detailed characterization of the intracellular compartments involved in this pathway is lacking. In the present study, we have used the model system in which peptides derived from measles virus protein F are presented to cytotoxic T cells by B-lymphoblastoid cells that lack the peptide transporter. Inhibition of T cell activation by the lysosomotropic drug ammoniumchloride indicated that endocytic compartments were involved in the class I presentation of this antigen. Using immunoelectron microscopy, we demonstrate that class I molecules and virus protein F co-localized in multivesicular endosomes and lysosomes. Surprisingly, these compartments expressed high levels of class II molecules, and further characterization identified them as MHC class II compartments. In addition, we show that class I molecules co-localized with class II molecules on purified exosomes, the internal vesicles of multivesicular endosomes that are secreted upon fusion of these endosomes with the plasma membrane. Finally, dendritic cells, crucial for the induction of primary immune responses, also displayed class I in endosomes and on exosomes.