The renal dopamine system plays an important role in sodium homeostasis and a defect in dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) function is present in hypertension, diabetes and aging. Our previous studies in hyperinsulinemic animals and in renal cell cultures treated with insulin showed decrease in D1R number and defective coupling to G proteins; however the exact mechanisms remained unknown. Therefore, we investigated insulin-mediated D1R desensitization and underlying molecular mechanism in opossum kidney (OK) cells. Chronic exposure (24 hr) of OK cells to 10 nM insulin caused significant decrease in D1R number and agonist affinity. D1R were hyper-serine-phosphorylated, uncoupled from G proteins and SKF38393, a D1R agonist, failed to stimulate G proteins and inhibit Na/K-ATPase activity. Insulin increased protein kinase C (PKC) activity and caused G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) translocation to the membranes. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, wortmannin blocked insulin-mediated PKC activation and GRK2 membranous translocation. In addition to genistein and wortmannin, GRK2 membranous tranlocation was also blocked by PKC inhibitor chelerythrine chloride and GRK2 specific siRNA. Genistein, wortmannin, chelerythrine chloride and GRK2 siRNA abrogated D1R serine-phosphorylation and normalized D1R expression and affinity in insulin-treated cells. Furthermore, these inhibitors and siRNA restored D1R G protein-coupling and ability of SKF38393 to inhibit Na/K-ATPase activity. In conclusion, insulin-induced D1R desensitization involves PI3K, PKC and GRK2. Insulin activates PI3K-PKC-GRK2 cascade, causing D1R serine-phosphorylation, which leads to D1R downregulation and uncoupling from G proteins, and results in the failure of SKF38393 to stimulate G proteins and inhibit Na/K-ATPase activity.