Endocytosis of dopamine receptor: Signaling in brain

Dopamine D1–D5 Receptors in Brain Nuclei: Implications for Health and Disease

“…Endocytosis can also facilitate the recycling of receptors back to the cell membrane through resensitization, thus restoring the responsiveness of the cell to dopamine stimulation [68,69]. Endocytosis can furthermore modulate the signaling output of dopamine receptors by altering their interactions with other proteins, such as G proteins, in different endocytic compartments [68][69][70]. D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptors have different endocytic behaviors and responses to dopamine or drugs.…”

“…For example, D1-like (D1 and D5) receptors are more resistant to endocytosis than D2-like (D2, D3, and D4) receptors, and they require higher concentrations of dopamine or longer stimulation times to be internalized [68,69]. D2-like receptors are also more sensitive to the effects of β-arrestins, which are proteins that bind to activated G protein-coupled receptors and promote their endocytosis and desensitization [68][69][70]. These data suggest that endocytosis is an important regulator of dopamine receptor signaling and function, and can have implications pertaining to various physiological and pathological processes.…”