Angiotensin II (AngII) initiates a variety of cellular responses through activation of type 1 (AT1; with subtypes AT1A and AT1B) and type 2 (AT2) cell surface angiotensin receptors. Both AT1 and AT2 receptors couple to heterotrimeric guanyl nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins) and generate intracellular signals following recognition of extracellular AngII, but only AT1 is targeted for the rapid ligand-stimulated endocytosis (internalization) typical of many plasma membrane receptors. 2. AT1 endocytosis proceeds through clathrin-coated pits and is independent of G-protein coupling which predicts that the AngII-AT1 receptor complex attains a conformation necessary for interaction with the endocytotic machinery, but separate from receptor signalling activation. 3. The function of AT1 endocytosis and the reason for the disparity between AT1 and AT2 endocytosis is not fully appreciated, but the latter probably reflects differences in the primary amino acid sequence of these two receptor types. 4. For many receptors that undergo internalization, it has been established that internalization motifs (2-6 amino acids, often incorporating crucial tyrosine and hydrophobic amino acids) within the cytoplasmic regions of the receptor mediate the selective recruitment of activated receptors into clathrin-coated pits and vesicles. 5. Mutagenesis studies on the AT1A receptor, aimed at identifying such motifs, reveal that sites within the third cytoplasmic loop and the cytoplasmic carboxyl terminal region are important for AngII-stimulated AT1A receptor endocytosis.
