Sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit beta-2

ATP1B2 encodes the non-catalytic beta-2 subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase, a fundamental ion transporter that couples ATP hydrolysis to the exchange of sodium and potassium ions across the plasma membrane (UniProt: P14415). Beyond its role in ionic homeostasis, this subunit mediates cell adhesion between neurons and astrocytes and promotes neurite outgrowth, functions critical for neuronal connectivity and synaptic integrity.

ATP1B2 is highly relevant to Alzheimer's Disease pathophysiology. Chaparral AD proteomics analysis of post-mortem human AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls revealed that ATP1B2 is significantly upregulated in affected tissue (mean log2 fold-change: 1.2951), detected across one subcellular fraction in a TMT-labeled, data-dependent acquisition proteomics experiment. This upregulation may reflect compensatory responses to neuronal stress or disrupted ionic balance characteristic of neurodegeneration, though the specific mechanism requires further investigation.