Constitutively active GPR6 is located in the intracellular compartments

We used multiple imaging assays to test the hypothesis that GPR6, a constitutively active Gs-coupled receptor, is present on the cell surface. A pHluorin tag at the N-terminus of rat GPR6 expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells was not accessible to protons, chymotrypsin or anti-green fluorescent protein antibody, demonstrating that GPR6 is primarily located in intracellular compartments. Similar intracellular localization of pHluorin-tagged GPR6 was found in striatal neurons, where endogenous GPR6 is expressed. Confirmation of Gs-mediated constitutive activity in HEK293 cells and striatal neurons led us to conclude that GPR6 can signal from intracellular compartments.