An epilepsy spectrum caused by variants in STX1B, which encodes syntaxin-1B, a core plasma-membrane (t-)SNARE of the presynaptic release machinery. With its partners SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin-2/VAMP2, syntaxin-1B forms the neuronal SNARE complex that drives calcium-triggered synaptic vesicle fusion; it is also chaperoned by Munc18-1 (STXBP1). Truncating, in-frame indel, missense, and whole-gene-deletion variants impair the release machinery, producing fever-associated epilepsy syndromes ranging from simple febrile seizures to generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), and in some individuals a more severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. It is one of the SNAREopathies and completes the three core neuronal SNAREs among the synaptic vesicle cycle disorders (the plasma-membrane t-SNARE, alongside SNAP-25 and the v-SNARE VAMP2).
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Conditions with similar clinical presentations that must be differentiated from STX1B-Related Epilepsy:
name: STX1B-Related Epilepsy
creation_date: "2026-07-06T00:00:00Z"
description: >-
An epilepsy spectrum caused by variants in STX1B, which encodes syntaxin-1B, a
core plasma-membrane (t-)SNARE of the presynaptic release machinery. With its
partners SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin-2/VAMP2, syntaxin-1B forms the neuronal SNARE
complex that drives calcium-triggered synaptic vesicle fusion; it is also
chaperoned by Munc18-1 (STXBP1). Truncating, in-frame indel, missense, and
whole-gene-deletion variants impair the release machinery, producing
fever-associated epilepsy syndromes ranging from simple febrile seizures to
generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), and in some individuals
a more severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. It is one of the
SNAREopathies and completes the three core neuronal SNAREs among the synaptic
vesicle cycle disorders (the plasma-membrane t-SNARE, alongside SNAP-25 and the
v-SNARE VAMP2).
category: Mendelian
parents:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorder
- Epilepsy
disease_term:
preferred_term: generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus, type 9
term:
id: MONDO:0014517
label: generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus, type 9
prevalence:
- population: Worldwide
measure_type: UNKNOWN
prevalence_class: ULTRA_RARE
notes: >-
Rare presynaptic (SNAREopathy) epilepsy syndrome within the fever-associated / GEFS+ spectrum; precise population prevalence not established.
references:
- reference: PMID:25362483
title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
- reference: PMID:32559416
title: "SNAREopathies: Diversity in Mechanisms and Symptoms."
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal Dominant
inheritance_term:
preferred_term: Autosomal dominant inheritance
term:
id: HP:0000006
label: Autosomal dominant inheritance
description: >-
STX1B variants cosegregate as an autosomal dominant trait in large pedigrees;
de novo variants (including a microdeletion) also occur.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Whole-exome sequencing in independent large pedigrees identified
cosegregating STX1B mutations predicted to cause an early truncation or an
in-frame insertion or deletion.
explanation: >-
Establishes the autosomal dominant, cosegregating inheritance of STX1B
variants.
pathophysiology:
- name: Syntaxin-1B t-SNARE Deficiency
conforms_to: "synaptic_vesicle_cycle#Synaptic Vesicle Cycle Protein Deficiency"
description: >-
STX1B encodes syntaxin-1B, a plasma-membrane t-SNARE of the presynaptic release
machinery. Truncating, in-frame indel, missense, and whole-gene-deletion
variants reduce or impair syntaxin-1B function. Syntaxin-1B is chaperoned by
Munc18-1 and partners with SNAP-25 and VAMP2 in the SNARE complex, so its
deficiency degrades the fusion machinery.
role: trigger
cell_types:
- preferred_term: neuron
term:
id: CL:0000540
label: neuron
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: synaptic vesicle cycle
term:
id: GO:0099504
label: synaptic vesicle cycle
modifier: ABNORMAL
locations:
- preferred_term: brain
term:
id: UBERON:0000955
label: brain
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Here we report the identification of mutations in STX1B, encoding
syntaxin-1B, that are associated with both febrile seizures and epilepsy.
explanation: >-
Identifies STX1B/syntaxin-1B as the presynaptic-release-machinery gene whose
variants cause the disorder.
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Three additional nonsense or missense mutations and a de novo microdeletion
encompassing STX1B were then identified in 449 familial or sporadic cases.
explanation: >-
Defines the loss-of-function variant spectrum, including a whole-gene
microdeletion.
downstream:
- target: Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >-
Syntaxin-1B is a core SNARE, so variants that unfold it, deplete it, or
disturb its Munc18-1 interface degrade the fusion machinery itself.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:32572454
reference_title: "Epilepsy-causing STX1B mutations translate altered protein functions into distinct phenotypes in mouse neurons."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "STX1BG226R, causing epileptic encephalopathies, strongly compromises the interaction with Munc18-1 and reduces expression of both proteins, the size of the readily releasable pool of vesicles, and Ca2+-triggered neurotransmitter release when expressed in STX1-null neurons."
explanation: >-
Electrophysiology in STX1-null neurons shows an epilepsy-causing STX1B
variant shrinking the readily releasable vesicle pool and reducing
calcium-triggered release, which is the fusion defect this edge asserts.
- reference: PMID:32572454
reference_title: "Epilepsy-causing STX1B mutations translate altered protein functions into distinct phenotypes in mouse neurons."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "leads to an unfolded protein unable to sustain neurotransmission"
explanation: >-
Shows the milder fever-associated indel variant acting through the same
route - a syntaxin-1B protein that cannot support release.
- name: Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
conforms_to: "synaptic_vesicle_cycle#Impaired Calcium-Triggered SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion"
description: >-
Syntaxin-1B is one of the three core neuronal SNAREs whose calcium-triggered
zippering fuses the synaptic vesicle with the presynaptic membrane. Impaired
syntaxin-1B function degrades SNARE-complex assembly and disturbs
neurotransmitter release, implicating the presynaptic release machinery in the
disorder. This is the module's key conformance target — the fusion-machinery
arm.
role: central_effector
cell_types:
- preferred_term: neuron
term:
id: CL:0000540
label: neuron
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: calcium-dependent activation of synaptic vesicle fusion
term:
id: GO:0099502
label: calcium-dependent activation of synaptic vesicle fusion
modifier: DECREASED
- preferred_term: synaptic vesicle exocytosis
term:
id: GO:0016079
label: synaptic vesicle exocytosis
modifier: DECREASED
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Our results thus implicate STX1B and the presynaptic release machinery in
fever-associated epilepsy syndromes.
explanation: >-
Directly implicates syntaxin-1B and the presynaptic release (fusion)
machinery in the disorder.
- reference: PMID:32559416
reference_title: "SNAREopathies: Diversity in Mechanisms and Symptoms."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: OTHER
snippet: >-
Neuronal SNAREs and their key regulators together drive synaptic vesicle
exocytosis and synaptic transmission as a single integrated membrane fusion
machine.
explanation: >-
Establishes syntaxin-1B (a core SNARE) as part of the integrated fusion
machine.
downstream:
- target: Temperature-Sensitive Cortical Hyperexcitability
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >-
Degraded presynaptic release disturbs the excitatory/inhibitory balance of
cortical circuits, and the resulting hyperexcitability is temperature
sensitive.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "Wild-type human syntaxin-1B but not a mutated protein rescued the effects of stx1b knockdown in zebrafish."
explanation: >-
The rescue arm is what makes this a causal rather than correlative link:
restoring functional syntaxin-1B abolishes the hyperexcitable phenotype,
while the mutant protein does not.
- name: Temperature-Sensitive Cortical Hyperexcitability
conforms_to: "epilepsy_excitation_inhibition_imbalance#Neuronal Hyperexcitability and Hypersynchrony"
description: >-
Impaired presynaptic release disturbs cortical excitatory/inhibitory balance,
producing neuronal hyperexcitability with a characteristic temperature
sensitivity: in a zebrafish stx1b-knockdown model, seizure-like behavior and
epileptiform discharges are highly sensitive to increased temperature,
mirroring the fever-triggered seizures in patients.
role: effector
cell_types:
- preferred_term: neuron
term:
id: CL:0000540
label: neuron
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: chemical synaptic transmission
term:
id: GO:0007268
label: chemical synaptic transmission
modifier: ABNORMAL
locations:
- preferred_term: brain
term:
id: UBERON:0000955
label: brain
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: >-
Video and local field potential analyses of zebrafish larvae with antisense
knockdown of stx1b showed seizure-like behavior and epileptiform discharges
that were highly sensitive to increased temperature.
explanation: >-
A zebrafish model links stx1b loss to temperature-sensitive seizures, the
mechanistic basis of the fever-associated phenotype.
downstream:
- target: Febrile Seizures
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >-
Because the hyperexcitability is temperature dependent, a rise in body
temperature is what tips the network into a seizure - the fever-associated
presentation.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "epileptiform discharges that were highly sensitive to increased temperature"
explanation: >-
Establishes temperature as the trigger converting the hyperexcitable
state into discharges, which is the fever dependence this edge asserts.
- target: Epilepsy
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >-
The same hyperexcitability also produces afebrile, unprovoked seizures,
so the disorder spans a spectrum from GEFS+ through generalized and focal
epilepsies to developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30737342
reference_title: "Clinical spectrum of STX1B-related epileptic disorders."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "This work suggests a role for ultrarare STX1B variants in the pathogenesis of a broad range of both common and rare epilepsies."
explanation: >-
A 23-family cohort establishes that STX1B variants cause epilepsy beyond
the febrile presentation, supporting an afebrile epilepsy outcome of the
same hyperexcitable state.
phenotypes:
- name: Febrile Seizures
category: Clinical
description: >-
Fever-associated (febrile) seizures, the hallmark early presentation, reflecting
temperature-sensitive cortical hyperexcitability.
diagnostic: true
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Febrile seizure
term:
id: HP:0002373
label: Febrile seizure (within the age range of 3 months to 6 years)
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Here we report the identification of mutations in STX1B, encoding
syntaxin-1B, that are associated with both febrile seizures and epilepsy.
explanation: >-
Documents febrile seizures as a core phenotype of STX1B variants.
- name: Epilepsy
category: Clinical
description: >-
Epilepsy spanning generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) and,
in some individuals, a more severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.
diagnostic: true
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Seizure
term:
id: HP:0001250
label: Seizure
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
mutations in STX1B, encoding syntaxin-1B, that are associated with both
febrile seizures and epilepsy.
explanation: >-
Documents afebrile epilepsy in addition to febrile seizures.
genetic:
- name: STX1B
gene_term:
preferred_term: STX1B
term:
id: hgnc:18539
label: STX1B
association: Loss-of-Function Mutations
presence: Positive
variant_origin: GERMLINE
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal Dominant
inheritance_term:
preferred_term: Autosomal dominant inheritance
term:
id: HP:0000006
label: Autosomal dominant inheritance
notes: >-
Variants include early-truncating, in-frame insertion/deletion, nonsense, and
missense changes, as well as a de novo whole-gene microdeletion, consistent
with a loss-of-function mechanism affecting syntaxin-1B.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Three additional nonsense or missense mutations and a de novo microdeletion
encompassing STX1B were then identified in 449 familial or sporadic cases.
explanation: >-
Defines the STX1B loss-of-function variant spectrum across a large cohort.
diagnosis:
- name: STX1B Molecular Diagnosis
description: >-
Diagnosis is established by identifying a pathogenic STX1B variant (truncating,
indel, missense, or whole-gene deletion) in an individual with febrile seizures
and/or epilepsy, often with a dominant family history.
diagnosis_term:
preferred_term: molecular genetic testing
term:
id: NCIT:C19770
label: Molecular Analysis
qualifiers:
- predicate:
preferred_term: has participant
term:
id: RO:0000057
label: has participant
value:
preferred_term: STX1B
term:
id: hgnc:18539
label: STX1B
results: A pathogenic STX1B variant establishes the diagnosis.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Three additional nonsense or missense mutations and a de novo microdeletion
encompassing STX1B were then identified in 449 familial or sporadic cases.
explanation: >-
Molecular identification of STX1B variants establishes the diagnosis.
differential_diagnoses:
- name: Other GEFS+ genes (SCN1A, SCN1B, GABRG2)
description: >-
Generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus is genetically heterogeneous;
SCN1A, SCN1B, and GABRG2 are the classic GEFS+ genes and are distinguished from
STX1B by molecular testing.
distinguishing_features:
- A pathogenic STX1B variant favors this disorder.
- A variant in SCN1A, SCN1B, or GABRG2 favors that GEFS+ subtype.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Recurrent mutations in three main genes (SCN1A, SCN1B and GABRG2) have been
identified that cause febrile seizures with or without epilepsy.
explanation: >-
Names the classic GEFS+ genes that constitute the molecular differential
diagnosis.
- name: Other SNAREopathies and synaptic vesicle cycle disorders
description: >-
Other SNARE-machinery and synaptic vesicle cycle disorders (SNAP25, VAMP2,
STXBP1) overlap through early-onset epilepsy and developmental impairment and
are distinguished by molecular testing.
distinguishing_features:
- A pathogenic STX1B variant favors this disorder.
- A variant in another SNARE/vesicle-cycle gene favors the corresponding SNAREopathy.
animal_models:
- species: Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
genotype: stx1b antisense knockdown (morphant)
description: >-
Zebrafish larvae with antisense knockdown of stx1b show seizure-like behavior
and epileptiform discharges that are highly sensitive to increased temperature;
wild-type human syntaxin-1B, but not a mutated protein, rescues the phenotype,
demonstrating the loss-of-function, temperature-sensitive mechanism.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: >-
Wild-type human syntaxin-1B but not a mutated protein rescued the effects of
stx1b knockdown in zebrafish.
explanation: >-
Rescue by wild-type but not mutant syntaxin-1B confirms the loss-of-function
disease mechanism.
progression:
- phase: Childhood
notes: >-
Presentation is typically with febrile seizures in early childhood, which may be
followed by afebrile seizures (GEFS+); a subset progress to a more severe
developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Febrile seizures affect 2-4% of all children and have a strong genetic
component.
explanation: >-
Contextualizes the childhood febrile-seizure presentation.
treatments:
- name: Antiseizure Medication
description: >-
Seizures are managed with antiseizure medications, guided by the specific
epilepsy syndrome. Response splits sharply along that syndrome boundary: in
the benign fever-associated (GEFS+) group seizures are controlled or remit
without treatment, whereas the developmental and epileptic encephalopathy
group is pharmacoresistant through many drug trials. Combined lamotrigine
and valproic acid, and bromide, have each produced a substantial seizure
reduction in individual pharmacoresistant patients.
therapeutic_modality: SMALL_MOLECULE
treatment_term:
preferred_term: Pharmacotherapy
term:
id: NCIT:C15986
label: Pharmacotherapy
therapeutic_agent:
- preferred_term: lamotrigine
term:
id: CHEBI:6367
label: lamotrigine
- preferred_term: valproic acid
term:
id: CHEBI:39867
label: valproic acid
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30737342
reference_title: "Clinical spectrum of STX1B-related epileptic disorders."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "The treatment outcome in this group was overall positive. More than 50% of patients were seizure-free without medication (17); the remainder were seizure-free with AED treatment (11)."
explanation: >-
In the GEFS+ phenotypic group, antiseizure medication achieved seizure
freedom in every patient who needed it.
- reference: PMID:30737342
reference_title: "Clinical spectrum of STX1B-related epileptic disorders."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Seizures were pharmacoresistant in all patients except F18, undergoing on average 9 AED trials."
explanation: >-
In the DEE phenotypic group the same class of medication fails, with an
average of nine drug trials per patient.
- reference: PMID:30737342
reference_title: "Clinical spectrum of STX1B-related epileptic disorders."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
We identified 49 individuals harboring heterozygous variants in STX1B
(NM_052874.3). ... [In the developmental and epileptic encephalopathy
subgroup:] Of note, F4 responded with a significant seizure reduction to
the combined therapy of lamotrigine and valproic acid after several
unsuccessful AED trials. After the administration of bromide, F14 showed
a significant reduction in seizure frequency.
explanation: >-
Identifies the STX1B cohort and the specific agents that reduced seizures
in F4 and F14. The bracketed clarification comes from the paper's phenotype
grouping, which places F3-F6 and F13-F21 in the developmental and epileptic
encephalopathy subgroup. These responses are not attributed to the
separate GEFS+ subgroup. Lamotrigine and valproic acid are the agents bound
as therapeutic_agent here.
- name: Genetic Counseling
description: >-
Genetic counseling addresses the autosomal dominant inheritance and variable
expressivity within families, including asymptomatic variant carriers and
phenocopies, both of which complicate interpretation of a familial result.
treatment_term:
preferred_term: genetic counseling
term:
id: NCIT:C15240
label: Genetic Counseling
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30737342
reference_title: "Clinical spectrum of STX1B-related epileptic disorders."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Asymptomatic variant carriers were identified in 2 families (4 in F1, 3 in F2), which is of importance for genetic testing and counseling in mild cases."
explanation: >-
The authors state directly that incomplete penetrance in STX1B families
bears on genetic testing and counseling.
- reference: PMID:30737342
reference_title: "Clinical spectrum of STX1B-related epileptic disorders."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We discerned 4 different phenotypic groups across the newly identified and previously published patients (49 patients in 23 families)"
explanation: >-
Documents the breadth of expressivity, from benign febrile seizures to
DEE, that counseling has to convey for a single STX1B variant.
discussions:
- discussion_id: gap_stx1b_temperature_sensitivity_mechanism
prompt: >-
What is the molecular basis by which syntaxin-1B deficiency renders synaptic
vesicle fusion temperature-sensitive, so that seizures cluster with fever
rather than occurring uniformly across the physiological temperature range?
kind: KNOWLEDGE_GAP
status: OPEN
attaches_to:
- pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
- pathophysiology#Temperature-Sensitive Cortical Hyperexcitability
rationale: >-
The defining clinical feature of STX1B-related epilepsy is fever-triggered
seizures, and the zebrafish stx1b-knockdown model reproduces a highly
temperature-sensitive epileptiform phenotype. Yet the biophysical mechanism
linking reduced syntaxin-1B dosage to temperature-dependent release failure
is unresolved: whether a partially depleted SNARE machine has reduced thermal
reserve, whether syntaxin-1B/Munc18-1 chaperoning is temperature-labile, or
whether excitatory and inhibitory terminals fail asymmetrically as
temperature rises. Distinguishing these is prerequisite to explaining the
fever specificity and to rational antipyretic-independent therapy.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: >-
Video and local field potential analyses of zebrafish larvae with antisense
knockdown of stx1b showed seizure-like behavior and epileptiform discharges
that were highly sensitive to increased temperature.
explanation: >-
Establishes the temperature-sensitive phenotype whose molecular mechanism
remains unexplained.
proposed_experiments:
- experiment_id: exp_stx1b_temperature_release_titration
name: Temperature-dependent release titration in syntaxin-1B-reduced neurons
description: >-
In human iPSC-derived neurons with graded syntaxin-1B reduction (allelic
series spanning haploinsufficiency to near-complete loss), measure
evoked and spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory release across a
controlled temperature ramp, correlating release probability and
SNARE-complex assembly with temperature to test whether reduced dosage
narrows the thermal operating range.
experiment_type:
preferred_term: temperature-dependent synaptic release titration
perturbations:
- name: Graded syntaxin-1B reduction
target: pathophysiology#Syntaxin-1B t-SNARE Deficiency
genes:
- preferred_term: STX1B
term:
id: hgnc:18539
label: STX1B
description: >-
Titrate syntaxin-1B levels across an allelic series in an isogenic
human neuronal background.
readouts:
- name: Temperature-resolved synaptic release and fusion
target: pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: calcium-dependent activation of synaptic vesicle fusion
term:
id: GO:0099502
label: calcium-dependent activation of synaptic vesicle fusion
modifier: DECREASED
- preferred_term: synaptic vesicle exocytosis
term:
id: GO:0016079
label: synaptic vesicle exocytosis
modifier: DECREASED
assays:
- preferred_term: patch-clamp electrophysiology
- preferred_term: live-cell imaging assay
direction: NEGATIVE
controls:
- name: Wild-type syntaxin-1B neurons
description: Isogenic neurons with unperturbed syntaxin-1B across the same temperature ramp.
decision_criterion: >-
A dosage-dependent narrowing of the thermal operating range for evoked
release, emerging selectively at febrile temperatures, would support
reduced thermal reserve of the depleted SNARE machine as the mechanism.
would_support:
- pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
- pathophysiology#Temperature-Sensitive Cortical Hyperexcitability
- discussion_id: gap_stx1b_genotype_severity_determinants
prompt: >-
What determines an individual's position on the STX1B severity spectrum
(simple febrile seizures, to GEFS+, to developmental and epileptic
encephalopathy) - is it primarily loss-of-function dosage versus
missense/dominant-negative effect, or do modifiers dominate?
kind: OPEN_QUESTION
status: OPEN
attaches_to:
- pathophysiology#Syntaxin-1B t-SNARE Deficiency
rationale: >-
STX1B variants span early-truncating and whole-gene-deletion (clear
haploinsufficiency) through in-frame indel and missense changes that could
act as reduced-function or dominant-negative alleles incorporated into the
SNARE complex. The reported phenotype ranges from benign febrile seizures to
severe encephalopathy, but whether variant class predicts severity - or
whether genetic background and other GEFS+ modifiers dominate - is
unresolved. This directly affects prognostic counseling and whether a
variant should be curated as a distinct severity subtype.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25362483
reference_title: "Mutations in STX1B, encoding a presynaptic protein, cause fever-associated epilepsy syndromes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: >-
Three additional nonsense or missense mutations and a de novo microdeletion
encompassing STX1B were then identified in 449 familial or sporadic cases.
explanation: >-
Documents the heterogeneous variant spectrum (truncating, missense,
whole-gene deletion) whose relation to severity is the open question.
proposed_experiments:
- experiment_id: exp_stx1b_variant_class_functional_severity
name: Variant-class functional stratification against clinical severity
description: >-
Introduce a panel of reported STX1B variants (truncating, whole-gene
loss, in-frame indel, missense) into an isogenic neuronal background and
quantify release deficit and dominant-negative incorporation into the
SNARE complex, then test whether the functional severity ranking
correlates with the documented clinical severity of carriers.
experiment_type:
preferred_term: variant functional stratification experiment
perturbations:
- name: STX1B allelic panel knock-in
target: pathophysiology#Syntaxin-1B t-SNARE Deficiency
genes:
- preferred_term: STX1B
term:
id: hgnc:18539
label: STX1B
description: >-
Knock in individual STX1B variant classes into a shared human neuronal
background for standardized functional comparison.
readouts:
- name: Release deficit and SNARE-complex incorporation
target: pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: synaptic vesicle exocytosis
term:
id: GO:0016079
label: synaptic vesicle exocytosis
modifier: DECREASED
assays:
- preferred_term: patch-clamp electrophysiology
- preferred_term: co-immunoprecipitation assay
direction: NEGATIVE
controls:
- name: Wild-type STX1B knock-in
description: Isogenic neurons carrying wild-type STX1B.
- name: Benign population variant
description: A population variant incompatible with disease causality.
decision_criterion: >-
If functional severity rank (dominant-negative missense worst,
haploinsufficiency intermediate) tracks clinical severity, variant class
is a primary determinant; a weak correlation implicates modifiers.
would_support:
- pathophysiology#Syntaxin-1B t-SNARE Deficiency
- discussion_id: gap_stx1b_stx1a_redundancy_therapeutic_lever
prompt: >-
Does the closely related paralog syntaxin-1A partially compensate for
syntaxin-1B loss, and could its regional/developmental expression explain
phenotype variability and offer a therapeutic lever (upregulating STX1A to
rescue release)?
kind: EMERGING_HYPOTHESIS
status: OPEN
attaches_to:
- pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
rationale: >-
Syntaxin-1A and syntaxin-1B are highly homologous plasma-membrane t-SNAREs
that can both support calcium-triggered fusion, so residual release in
STX1B-deficient neurons may depend on syntaxin-1A availability. If
compensation is incomplete and varies with the regional and developmental
expression ratio of the two paralogs, that could contribute to the
fever-dependence and phenotypic variability - and raising syntaxin-1A
expression or function becomes a candidate disease-modifying strategy. This
is an emerging, largely untested hypothesis for STX1B disease rather than an
established mechanism.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:32559416
reference_title: "SNAREopathies: Diversity in Mechanisms and Symptoms."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: OTHER
snippet: >-
Neuronal SNAREs and their key regulators together drive synaptic vesicle
exocytosis and synaptic transmission as a single integrated membrane fusion
machine.
explanation: >-
Frames syntaxin-1B within an integrated SNARE machine in which paralog
substitution by syntaxin-1A is a plausible compensatory route.
proposed_experiments:
- experiment_id: exp_stx1b_stx1a_compensation_rescue
name: Syntaxin-1A dosage compensation of syntaxin-1B loss
description: >-
In syntaxin-1B-deficient human neurons, titrate syntaxin-1A expression
and measure whether increased syntaxin-1A restores evoked release and
rescues the temperature-sensitive release deficit, and profile the native
STX1A:STX1B expression ratio across neuronal subtypes to test the
regional-compensation model.
experiment_type:
preferred_term: paralog compensation rescue experiment
perturbations:
- name: Syntaxin-1A overexpression on STX1B-deficient background
target: pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
genes:
- preferred_term: STX1A
term:
id: hgnc:11433
label: STX1A
description: >-
Increase syntaxin-1A expression in syntaxin-1B-deficient neurons to test
functional compensation.
readouts:
- name: Rescue of evoked release
target: pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: calcium-dependent activation of synaptic vesicle fusion
term:
id: GO:0099502
label: calcium-dependent activation of synaptic vesicle fusion
modifier: DECREASED
assays:
- preferred_term: patch-clamp electrophysiology
direction: POSITIVE
controls:
- name: STX1B-deficient neurons without STX1A manipulation
description: Matched syntaxin-1B-deficient neurons at baseline syntaxin-1A levels.
- name: Wild-type neurons
description: Isogenic neurons with intact syntaxin-1B.
decision_criterion: >-
Dose-dependent rescue of evoked release and temperature sensitivity by
syntaxin-1A would support paralog compensation as a determinant of
severity and a therapeutic lever; failure to rescue would argue against it.
would_support:
- pathophysiology#Impaired SNARE-Mediated Vesicle Fusion