internalization. Indeed, it has been shown that phosphorylation of GABAA receptor subunits reduces the binding of receptors with AP-2 and subsequent internalization (Kittler et al. 2005, 2008). In addition, reduced PKC-dependent GABAA receptor phosphorylation enhances receptor binding to the AP-2 and promotes their endocytosis (Terunuma et al. 2008). Taken together, it appears that PKC-mediated phosphorylation plays an important role in GABAA receptor cell surface expression following chronic ethanol exposure.
