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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Detection of Ligand-activated G Protein-coupled Receptor Internalization by Confocal Microscopy
Published on: April 9, 2017
Construction of a soluble human GH-receptor/EGF-receptor hybrid and its activation by GH
G Hellgren1, C Löfqvist, K Albertsson Wikland
1Göteborg Pediatric Growth Research Centre, Department of Pediatrics, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
Abstract:
To develop a cell-free system that can be used to measure cytokine bioactivity we have designed a soluble hybrid molecule consisting of the extracellular domain of the GH-receptor (GHR) and the intracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). A DNA construct encoding this hybrid-receptor was inserted into a baculoviral expression vector and expressed in Sf9-cells. Activation of the hybrid-receptor by ligand-induced dimerization can be measured as the incorporation of radiolabeled phosphate into a biotinylated tyrosine kinase peptide substrate. The kinase activity in samples stimulated with GH (10 ng/ml) increased 5-fold compared to samples without addition of GH. This is the first example of a functional hybrid-receptor where the transmembrane domain has been deleted. Our results suggest that such hybrid-receptors may be used for detection of GH and other cytokine-receptor activating substances in biological fluids.
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