β-Arrestin-independent endosomal cAMP signaling by a polypeptide hormone GPCR

Many G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) initiate a second phase of stimulatory heterotrimeric G protein (Gs)-coupled cAMP signaling after endocytosis. The prevailing current view is that the endosomal signal is inherently beta-arrestin-dependent because beta-arrestin is necessary for receptor internalization and, for some GPCRs, to prolong the endosomal signal. Here we revise this view by showing that the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1 (VIPR1), a secretin-family polypeptide hormone receptor, does not require beta-arrestin to internalize or to generate an endosomal signal. beta-Arrestin instead resolves the plasma membrane and endosomal signaling phases into sequential cAMP peaks by desensitizing the plasma membrane phase without affecting the endosomal phase. This appears to occur through the formation of functionally distinct VIPR1-beta-arrestin complexes at each location that differ in their phosphorylation dependence. We conclude that endosomal GPCR signaling can occur in the absence of beta-arrestin and that beta-arrestin sculpts the spatiotemporal profile of cellular GPCR-G protein signaling through location-specific remodeling of GPCR-beta-arrestin complexes.

Automated summary

A study found that the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1 (VIPR1) does not require beta-arrestin for internalization or generation of endosomal signal. Instead, beta-arrestin desensitizes the plasma membrane phase without affecting the endosomal phase, resulting in sequential cAMP peaks. This finding challenges the current understanding that endosomal signaling is inherently beta-arrestin-dependent.