Dopamine D2 receptor interactions with arrestins and arrestindependent internalization have been characterized using heterologously expressed D2 receptor and arrestins. The purpose of this study was to investigate D2 receptor interaction with endogenous arrestins. Arrestin2 and arrestin3 in striatal homogenates bound to the third cytoplasmic loop of the D2 receptor, and purified arrestin2 and arrestin3 bound to the second and third loops and C terminus of the D2 receptor, in a glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay. In NS20Y neuroblastoma cells expressing an enhanced green-fluorescent protein-tagged D2 receptor (D2-EGFP), 2-h D2 agonist stimulation enhanced the colocalization of D2-EGFP with endogenous arrestin2 and arrestin3. These results suggest that the D2 receptor has the intrinsic ability to bind both nonvisual arrestins.Agonist treatment of D2-EGFP NS20Y cells induced D2 receptor internalization (36 -46%) that was maximal within 20 min, but that was prevented by small interfering RNA-induced depletion of arrestin2 and arrestin3. In neostriatal neurons, 2-h agonist treatment selectively increased the colocalization of the endogenous D2 receptor with arrestin2, whereas receptor colocalization with arrestin3 was reduced. Agonist stimulation caused translocation of arrestin2, but not arrestin3, to the membrane in neurons and selectively enhanced the coimmunoprecipitation of the D2 receptor and arrestin2. All three measures of receptor/arrestin interaction (colocalization, translocation, and coprecipitation) demonstrated selective agonist-induced interaction between the D2 receptor and arrestin2 in neurons.Receptor desensitization is a phenomenon in which receptor responsiveness decreases after continued or repeated stimulation with an agonist. After termination of agonist stimulation, desensitization is followed by resensitization, the reinstatement of the ability to respond to ligands (Krupnick and Benovic, 1998). For G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), trafficking of the receptor through various subcellular compartments is an important part of desensitization and resensitization. A model of GPCR desensitization, best characterized for the  2 -adrenergic receptor, has been developed in which the agonist-activated GPCR is phosphorylated by GPCR kinases (GRKs) or second-messenger-dependent kinases such as protein kinase A (Krupnick and Benovic, 1998). Phosphorylation by GRKs enhances the interaction of the GPCR with additional proteins, termed arrestins. Binding of arrestin causes rapid desensitization of the receptor by inhibiting receptor binding to G proteins and also targets the receptor to clathrin-coated pits for internalization and either degradation or resensitization (Pippig et al., 1995;Tsao et al., 2001). Arrestin can also act as a scaffolding protein, promoting the stable association of signaling proteins with the receptor (Luttrell et al., 2001).The rate of GPCR resensitization depends on the stability of the receptor/arrestin complex. Receptors that dissociate from arrestin near the...