Assessment of degradation and ubiquitination of CXCR4, a GPCR regulated by EGFR family members.

The ErbB2/HER2 receptors are aberrantly expressed in certain mammary epithelial cancers. A recent study has shown that in a subset of these breast cancers, the HER2 receptors contribute to increased cell surface levels of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, which in turn results in increased metastasis of the breast cancers. Therefore, information concerning the mechanisms regulating CXCR4 receptors levels is essential to our understanding of its role in cancer cell metastasis. CXCR4 is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, and herein we describe methods to monitor the ubiquitination, degradation, and downregulation of CXCR4.