Trafficking of the HIV coreceptor CXCR4 - Role of arrestins and identification of residues in the C-terminal tail that mediate receptor internalization

The G protein-coupled chemokine receptor CXCR4 serves as the primary coreceptor for entry of T-cell tropic human immunodeficiency virus. CXCR4 undergoes tonic internalization as well as internalization in response to stimulation with phorbol esters and ligand (SDF-1 alpha). We investigated the trafficking of this receptor, and we attempted to define the residues of CXCR4 that were critical for receptor internalization. In both COS-1 and HEK-293 cells transiently overexpressing CXCR4, SDF-1 alpha and phorbol esters (PMA) promoted rapid internalization of cell surface receptors as assessed by both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoflouorescence analysis. Expression of GRK2 and/or arrestins promoted modest additional CXCR4 internalization in response to both PMA and SDF, Both PMA- and SDF-mediated CXCR4 internalization was inhibited by coexpression of dominant negative mutants of dynamin-1 and arrestin-3. Arrestin was also recruited to the plasma membrane and appeared to colocalize with internalized receptors in response to SDF but not PMA. We then evaluated the ability of CXCR4 receptors containing mutations of serines and threonines, as well as a dileucine motif, within the C-terminal tail to be internalized and phosphorylated in response to either PMA or SDF-1 alpha: This analysis showed that multiple residues within the CXCR4 C-terminal tail appear to mediate both PMA- and SDF-1 alpha-mediated receptor internalization. The ability of coexpressed GRK2 and arrestins to promote internalization of the CXCR4 mutants revealed distinct differences between respective mutants and suggested that the integrity of the dileucine motif (IIe-328 and Leu-329) and serines 324, 325, 338, and 339 are critical for receptor internalization.