A, B. HEK293 cells expressing untagged chimeric β2-adrenergic receptor with the C-terminus of vasopressin V2 receptor were co-transfected HA-tagged ubiquitin and FLAG-tagged arrestin-2 (A) or arrestin-3 (B) with or without myc-tagged parkin, as indicated. The cells were treated for indicated time with or without 10 μM of β2-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO). In immunoprecipitated arrestin samples the amount of arrestin (middle blots) and its ubiquitination (upper blot) was determined by Western blot with appropriate antibody. The amounts of expressed parkin in cell lysates are shown in the lower blots. Note that because multiple forms of arrestin with different numbers of ubiquitin moieties are generated, the main band of non-ubiquitinated protein is by far the most prominent in arrestin blots. C. Quantification of parkin-dependent suppression of arrestin ubiquitination (panels A and B). The ratios of the amount of ubiquitinated arrestin determined with and without receptor activation in the presence or absence of parkin, expressed as % of control (no parkin) are shown. Representative results of one experiment (out of four performed) are shown in panels A and B. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by two-way repeated measure ANOVA with PARKIN as within group factor and ISO stimulation as a between group factor. The effect of PARKIN on the arrestin-2 ubiquitination was significant (F(1,6)=135.2, p<0.0001) as was the effect of ISO (F(1,6)=7.9, p=0.031), whereas the interaction was not significant, indicating that the degree of parkin-induced inhibition of arrestin-2 ubiquitination was independent of receptor stimulation. The effects of PARKIN and ISO on the arrestin-3 ubiquitination were also significant (F(1,6)=57.8, p=0.0003, and 6.67, p=0.042), as was PARKIN × ISO interaction (F(1,6)=18.8, p=0.0049), indicating that PARKIN inhibits activation-induced arrestin-3 ubiquitination significantly stronger. D. Parkin effect on the arrestin-dependent receptor trafficking. HeLa cells were transfected with the chimeric β2V2 receptor, alone or in combination with arrestin-2, arrestin-3, parkin, or both, as indicated. Serum-starved cells were incubated with 10 μM isoproterenol for indicated time. Control cells were incubated without agonist. Cells were then washed 3 × 500 μl in ice-cold TBS, and cell surface receptor was determined by measuring specific binding of cell-impermeable antagonist [3H]CGP-12177 (2nM). The graph shows means±S.E.M. of 6 (for 1 and 2 h) or 2 (for 4 h) independent experiments. Note that parkin co-expression does not affect receptor internalization at any time point. The data for each time point were statistically analyzed by two-way ANOVA with ARRESTIN and PARKIN as main factors. The effects of ARRESTIN were significant (F(1,30)=9.89, p=0.0005; 13.47, p<0.0001; and F(1,6)=9.41, p=0.014, for 1, 2, and 4 h, respectively) for all time points, whereas no significant effect of PARKIN or PARKIN × ARRESTIN interaction was detected. There was no significant difference between arrestin-2 and arrestin-3.