Rapid internalization of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor requires phosphorylated serine 726.

S726 of the cytoplasmic domain of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) resides within a consensus sequence for phosphorylation by protein kinases A, G, and C, and casein kinase II. Mutation of S726 to Ala and expression of this mutant pIgR in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells results in a receptor in which steady-state phosphorylation is reduced to 49% of wild-type levels. This mutant receptor is also significantly impaired in its internalization from the basolateral membrane. During the first minute, internalization of radioiodinated ligands (either dIgA or monovalent anti-pIgR Fabs) by this mutant pIgR is only 35% of that by wild-type pIgR. Internalization of unoccupied mutant receptors is similarly inhibited. Delivery of newly made mutant receptor from the trans-Golgi network to the basolateral surface is completely normal. The only other trafficking step inhibited by this mutation is the transcytosis of radioiodinated dIgA. Within 2 h, the mutant pIgR will transcytose 58% of a preinternalized cohort of dIgA, while the wild-type transcytoses 76%. This inhibition of transcytosis may be an indirect consequence of impaired internalization. The correlation between the loss of phosphorylation and inhibition of internalization suggests that phosphorylation of S726 may represent a novel mechanism for regulation of internalization of the pIgR.