Interleukin (IL)-13 receptor ␣2 (IL-13R␣2Unlike receptors for the related cytokine IL-4, 1 the receptors for IL-13 (IL-13R) have not been well characterized. We have been studying the structure of IL-13R in various cell types (1-6). We reported that IL-13 binds to two isoforms of 65-kDa proteins in human renal cell carcinoma cells, and one of these proteins also binds IL-4 (1). On the basis of binding characteristics, cross-linking, and displacement of radiolabeled IL-4 and IL-13 in various cell types, we hypothesized that, similar to the IL-4R system, IL-13R may also exist as three different types (1-6). Two different chains of the IL-13 receptor, IL-13R␣1 and IL-13R␣2 (also known as IL-13R␣Ј and IL-13R␣, respectively), have been cloned and correspond to the two 65-kDa isoforms as we originally proposed (1). The murine and human IL-13R␣1 chains were cloned first (7,8). This chain binds IL-13 at low levels, but when coupled with the IL-4R␣ chain (also known as IL-4R) it binds IL-13 with higher affinity and mediates IL-13-induced signaling (9, 10). The second chain of IL-13R, termed IL-13R␣2, has been cloned from a human renal cell carcinoma cell line (Caki-1). This chain has 50% identity to the IL-5R at the DNA level, has a short intracellular domain, and binds IL-13 with high affinity (11).Cells selectively internalize specific surface ligand-receptor complexes through receptor-mediated endocytosis. This process of endocytosis begins when receptors are selectively sequestered into specialized structures on the plasma membrane, termed clathrin-coated pits. These pits are able to recognize receptors through short structures of amino acids in the cytoplasmic domains (12-15). These domains contain specific targeting information. The most common internalization signals described are the tyrosine-based motif and the dileucine motif. The tyrosine-based motif contains a tyrosine residue usually composed of 4 -6 amino acids and is generally formed of NPXY or YXXØ (where X is any amino acid and Ø is a hydrophobic residue; Refs. 16 -19). There are various examples that utilize NPXY or YXXØ motifs for endocytosis. Although the precise mechanism for the sequestration of surface receptors in coated pits is unknown, low density lipoprotein receptors are shown to be endocytosed via their NPXY motif (20). Similarly, numerous other cell surface proteins including epidermal growth factor receptor, insulin receptor family, the -subunits of three integrin receptors, and the amyloid A4 precursor protein utilize the NPXY motif for internalization (20). On the other hand, the transferrin receptor and the asialoglycoprotein receptor endocytose via a YXXØ motif (16,21). It has been demonstrated that a dileucine motif in the intracellular domain of various receptor systems (e.g. interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) gp130, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, growth hormone receptor, human insulin receptor,  2 -adrenergic receptor, lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor, and erythropoietin receptor)...