Caveolin-1 and Dopamine-Mediated Internalization of NaKATPase in Human Renal Proximal Tubule Cells

In moderate sodium-replete states, dopamine 1–like receptors (D1R/D5R) are responsible for regulating >50% of renal sodium excretion. This is partly mediated by internalization and inactivation of NaKATPase, when associated with adapter protein 2. We used dopaminergic stimulation via fenoldopam (D1-like receptor agonist) to study the interaction among D1-like receptors, caveolin-1 (CAV1), and the G protein–coupled receptor kinase type 4 in cultured human renal proximal tubule cells (RPTCs). We compared 2 groups of RPTCs, 1 of cell lines that were isolated from normal subjects (nRPTCs) and a second group of cell lines that have D1-like receptors that are uncoupled (uncoupled RPTCs) from adenylyl cyclase second messengers. In nRPTCs, fenoldopam increased the plasma membrane expression of D1R (10.0-fold) and CAV1 (1.3-fold) and markedly decreased G protein–coupled receptor kinase type 4 by 94±8%; no effects were seen in uncoupled RPTCs. Fenoldopam also increased the association of adapter protein 2 and NaKATPase by 53±9% in nRPTCs but not in uncoupled RPTCs. When CAV1 expression was reduced by 86.0±8.5% using small interfering RNA, restimulation of the D1-like receptors with fenoldopam in nRPTCs resulted in only a 7±9% increase in association between adapter protein 2 and NaKATPase. Basal CAV1 expression and association with G protein–coupled receptor kinase type 4 was decreased in uncoupled RPTCs (58±5% decrease in association) relative to nRPTCs. We conclude that the scaffolding protein CAV1 is necessary for the association of D1-like receptors with G protein–coupled receptor kinase type 4 and the adapter protein 2–associated reduction in plasma membrane NaKATPase.