Nedd4 mediates agonist-dependent ubiquitination, lysosomal targeting, and degradation of the β2-adrenergic receptor

Abstract

Agonist-stimulated β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) ubiquitination is a major factor that governs both lysosomal trafficking and degradation of internalized receptors, but the identity of the E3 ubiquitin ligase regulating this process was unknown. Among the various catalytically inactive E3 ubiquitin ligase mutants that we tested, a dominant negative Nedd4 specifically inhibited isoproterenol-induced ubiquitination and degradation of the β2AR in HEK-293 cells. Moreover, siRNA that downregulates Nedd4 expression inhibited β2AR ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation, whereas siRNA targeting the closely related E3 ligases Nedd4-2 or AIP4 did not. Interestingly, β2AR as well as β-arrestin2, the endocytic and signaling adaptor for the β2AR, interact robustly with Nedd4 upon agonist stimulation. However, β2AR-Nedd4 interaction is ablated when β-arrestin2 expression is knocked down by siRNA transfection, implicating an essential E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor role for β-arrestin2 in mediating β2AR ubiquitination. Notably, β-arrestin2 interacts with two different E3 ubiquitin ligases, namely, Mdm2 and Nedd4 to regulate distinct steps in β2AR trafficking. Collectively, our findings indicate that the degradative fate of the β2AR in the lysosomal compartments is dependent upon β-arrestin2-mediated recruitment of Nedd4 to the activated receptor and Nedd4-catalyzed ubiquitination.