Ligand-independent growth hormone receptor dimerization occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum and is required for ubiquitin system-dependent endocytosis.

The regulatory effect of growth hormone (GH) on its target cells is mediated via the GH receptor (GHR). GH binding to the GHR results in the formation of a GH-(GHR)(2) complex and the initiation of signal transduction cascades via the activation of the tyrosine kinase JAK2. Subsequent endocytosis and transport to the lysosome of the ligand-receptor complex is regulated via the ubiquitin system and requires the presence of an intact ubiquitin-dependent endocytosis (UbE) motif in the cytosolic tail of the GHR. Recently, the model of ligand-induced receptor dimerization has been challenged. In this study, ligand-independent GHR dimerization is demonstrated in the endoplasmic reticulum and at the cell surface by coimmunoprecipitation of an epitope-tagged truncated GHR with wild-type GHR. In addition, evidence is provided that the extracellular domain of the GHR is not required to maintain this interaction. Internalization of a chimeric receptor, which fails to dimerize, is independent of an intact UbE-motif. Therefore, we postulate that dimerization of GHR molecules is required for ubiquitin system-dependent endocytosis.