Sodium channel regulatory subunit beta-1 (SCN1B)

Sodium channel regulatory subunit beta‑1 is a non-pore-forming auxiliary protein encoded by the SCN1B gene. It modulates the function, surface expression, gating kinetics, and localization of multiple voltage-gated sodium channels in excitable tissues such as neurons and cardiomyocytes. Beyond its role in electrical excitability, it participates in cell adhesion processes that influence signal transduction pathways related to migration and morphology. Mutations or loss-of-function variants in SCN1B are associated with severe neurological diseases like developmental epileptic encephalopathies as well as cardiac arrhythmias such as Brugada syndrome—both linked to increased risk for sudden death. The β₁ subunit can be proteolytically processed to generate intracellular domains that regulate gene transcription. Drugs such as phenytoin target this protein’s modulatory effects on sodium channels for therapeutic benefit in epilepsy and related disorders

Other names

Sodium channel subunit beta-1Voltage-gated sodium channel subunit beta-1NaVβ1

Inhibition or modulation of voltage-gated sodium currents by stabilizing the inactivated state or altering gating properties through interaction with the alpha-subunits; drugs like phenytoin act as inhibitors targeting this regulatory function