β-Arrestin-dependent Constitutive Internalization of the Human Chemokine Decoy Receptor D6*

Seven transmembrane receptors mediate diverse physiological responses including hormone action, olfaction, neurotransmission, and chemotaxis. Human D6 is a non-signaling seven-transmembrane receptor expressed on lymphatic endothelium interacting with most inflammatory CC-chemokines resulting in their rapid internalization. Here, we demonstrate that this scavenging activity is mediated by continuous internalization and constant surface expression of the receptor, a process involving the clathrin-coated pit-dependent pathway. D6 constitutively associates with the cytoplasmic adaptor β-arrestin, and this interaction is essential for D6 internalization. An acidic region, but not the putative phosphorylation sites in the cytoplasmic tail of D6, is critical for receptor interaction with β-arrestin and subsequent internalization. Neither the native D6 nor mutants uncoupled from β-arrestin activate any G-protein-mediated signaling pathways. Therefore, D6 may be considered a decoy receptor structurally adapted to perform chemokine scavenging.