Beta-synuclein (SNCB)

Beta-synuclein is a member of the synuclein protein family, encoded by SNCB and consisting of 134 amino acids[1][2][3]. It is predominantly expressed in presynaptic terminals throughout the neocortex, hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, and cerebellum[1][2]. Beta-synuclein has a structure similar to alpha-synuclein but is less prone to pathological aggregation due to a central deletion in its NAC domain. It appears to inhibit alpha-synuclein aggregation, possibly reducing neurotoxicity associated with synucleinopathies like Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies[1][2][4]. Mutations in SNCB can result in familial dementia with Lewy bodies[4], and altered beta-synuclein expression is associated with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases[1][4]. There are currently no approved drugs that directly target beta-synuclein, but its role as an aggregation inhibitor and potential biomarker makes it a subject of ongoing research for disease-modifying therapies and diagnostic assays[2][4].

Other names

Beta-synucleinSNCBβ-synucleinsynuclein betaI(2)-synuclein

Inhibition of alpha-synuclein aggregation (potential therapeutic mechanism)