Ligand-induced receptor-mediated endocytosis plays a central role in regula
ting signaling conveyed by tyrosine kinase receptors. This process depends
on the recruitment of the adaptor protein 2 (AP-2) complex, clathrin, dynam
in, and other accessory proteins to the ligand-bound receptor. We show here
that besides AP-2 and clathrin, two other proteins participate in the endo
cytic process of the insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R); they are
EHD1, an Eps15 homology (EH) domain-containing protein 1, and SNAP29, a sy
naptosomal-associated protein. EHD1 and SNAP29 form complexes with alpha -a
daptin of AP-2 and co-localize in endocytic vesicles, indicating a role for
them in endocytosis. EHD1 and SNAP29 interact directly with each other and
are present in complexes with IGF-1R. After IGF-1 induction, EHD1 and IGF-
1R co-localize intracellularly. Overexpression of EHD1 in Chinese hamster o
vary cells represses IGF-1-mediated signaling, as measured by mitogen-activ
ated protein kinase phosphorylation and Akt phosphorylation, indicating tha
t EHD1 plays a role as a down-regulator in IGF-1 signaling pathway.