Potassium voltage-gated channel modifier subfamily V member 1 (KCNV1)

Potassium voltage-gated channel modifier subfamily V member 1 (KCNV1, Kv8.1) is a neuronal subunit of the voltage-gated potassium channel family. Unlike typical channel-forming alpha subunits, Kv8.1 does not form functional ion channels on its own, but instead modifies the function of other potassium channel subunits—predominantly those of the Kv2 type—by altering their gating properties and channel kinetics. KCNV1 is expressed primarily in the brain (cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum) and is implicated in the regulation of neuronal excitability, with particular significance for neuronal survival under stress conditions. Its (down)regulation is associated with increased vulnerability to neurodegeneration, as observed in models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and genetic variation in KCNV1 is a candidate for epilepsy susceptibility.

Other names

Kv8.1HNKAKCNB3KV2.3Neuronal potassium channel alpha subunit HNKAVoltage-gated potassium channel subunit Kv8.1potassium channel Kv8.1

Modulation of Kv2 channels (alters inactivation, gating, and density of Kv2.1/Kv2.2 channels); Suppression/abolition of Kv2.1, Kv2.2, and Kv3.4 channel activity at high expression levels