ATP-sensitive potassium channel regulatory subunit 1 (SUR1)

The ATP-sensitive potassium channel regulatory subunit 1 (SUR1) is a key component of the K-ATP channel complex, primarily located in the plasma membrane of pancreatic beta cells (UniProt, 2024; NCBI Gene, 2024). Encoded by the ABCC8 gene, SUR1 belongs to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily but functions as a regulatory subunit rather than a transporter (UniProt, 2024). It assembles with the pore-forming Kir6.2 subunit to form an octameric complex that serves as a metabolic sensor, responding to changes in the intracellular ATP/ADP ratio (UniProt, 2024). When glucose levels rise, increased ATP production leads to channel closure, membrane depolarization, and the release of insulin (StatPearls, 2023). Mutations in SUR1 are associated with various glycemic disorders, including neonatal diabetes and hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (NCBI Gene, 2024). Beyond the pancreas, SUR1 is also upregulated in the central nervous system following injury, where it contributes to cerebral edema, making it a target for neuroprotective strategies (PubMed, 2017).

Other names

Sulfonylurea receptor 1ABCC8ABC36HHF1HIHRINSMRP8PHHIATP-binding cassette sub-family C member 8

Sulfonylureas and glinides act as agonists that bind to the SUR1 subunit to induce closure of the K-ATP channel, leading to beta-cell depolarization and insulin release (StatPearls, 2023). Conversely, potassium channel openers like diazoxide bind to SUR1 to maintain the channel in an open state, inhibiting insulin secretion (UniProt, 2024).