Previous studies have shown that the
G protein-
coupled human
vasopressin V2 receptor (
V2 receptor) is
expressed predominantly in the
basolateral membrane of Madin Darby
canine kidney type II (MDCKII)
epithelial cells at steady state. Here we have
assessed the influence of the individual cytoplasmic domains of the
V2 receptor on polarized sorting in
MDCKII cells. The second (ICL2) and third (ICL3)
intracellular loops and the
C-terminal tail were
fused separately to a green fluorescent protein-tagged receptor fragment comprising the first transmembrane domain and flanking regions. We show that the ICL2
domain of the
V2 receptor alone promotes basolateral cell surface expression and thus seems to contain the basolateral sorting signal of the
V2 receptor.
Fusion of the other cytoplasmic domains, however, does not lead to a randomized cell surface expression. The
C-terminal tail of the
V2 receptor promotes apical targeting.
Fusion of ICL3 leads to a receptor fragment that is retained in the
endoplasmic reticulum (
ER). The results are consistent with a
model in which the
V2 receptor contains signals for both
apical and basolateral cell surface expression, the latter being
dominant. Furthermore, ICL3 may contain a retinoid
X receptor ER retention signal, which is not accessible in the correctly folded full-length receptor but which is unmasked when ICL3 is
fused alone.