The Rate of Internalization of the Mannose 6-Phosphate/Insulin-like Growth Factor II Receptor Is Enhanced by Multivalent Ligand Binding*

The cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor (M6P/IGF-II receptor) undergoes constitutive endocytosis, mediating the internalization of two unrelated classes of ligands, mannose 6-phosphate (Man-6-P)-containing acid hydrolases and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). To determine the role of ligand valency in M6P/IGF-II receptor-mediated endocytosis, we measured the internalization rates of two ligands, β-glucuronidase (a homotetramer bearing multiple Man-6-P moieties) and IGF-II. We found that β-glucuronidase entered the cell ∼3–4-fold faster than IGF-II. Unlabeled β-glucuronidase stimulated the rate of internalization of¹²⁵I-IGF-II to equal that of¹²⁵I-β-glucuronidase, but a bivalent synthetic tripeptide capable of occupying both Man-6-P-binding sites on the M6P/IGF-II receptor simultaneously did not. A mutant receptor with one of the two Man-6-P-binding sites inactivated retained the ability to internalize β-glucuronidase faster than IGF-II. Thus, the increased rate of internalization required a multivalent ligand and a single Man-6-P-binding site on the receptor. M6P/IGF-II receptor solubilized and purified in Triton X-100 was present as a monomer, but association with β-glucuronidase generated a complex composed of two receptors and one β-glucuronidase. Neither IGF-II nor the synthetic peptide induced receptor dimerization. These results indicate that intermolecular cross-linking of the M6P/IGF-II receptor occurs upon binding of a multivalent ligand, resulting in an increased rate of internalization.