There have been many reports studying the presentation for lipid antigen by CD1 molecules on dendritic cells (DC), mainly in the infection of acid-fast bacilli. But little is known about the expression of CD1 molecules in sarcoidosis. In this study, we analyzed the expression of CD1 molecules by immunohistochemical stain with monoclonal anti-CD1a, CD1b and CD1c antibody for the specimens of nine sarcoidosis patients (sarcoidosis group) and seven control cases (control group). Aggregation of CD1 positive cells was present adjacent to granulomas in five cases of the sarcoidosis group, but was absent in all cases of the control group. There were no differences in the results of laboratory findings or disease activity between CD1-positive and negative cases in the sarcoidosis group. These data suggest that the presentation of lipid antigens mediated by CD1 molecules on DC is involved in granuloma formation in sarcoidosis.