sv2a-protein

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SV2A Protein (Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A)

<table class="infobox infobox-protein">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">sv2a-protein</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Name</td>
<td>Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Symbol</td>
<td>SV2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt ID</td>
<td>Q9H0Y9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Molecular Weight</td>
<td>~82 kDa (743 amino acids)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Subcellular Localization</td>
<td>Synaptic vesicles, presynaptic terminals</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Family</td>
<td>SV2 (Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Brain Expression</td>
<td>Cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, basal ganglia, brainstem</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Domain</td>
<td>Amino Acids</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">N-terminal Extracellular Domain</td>
<td>1-580</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Transmembrane Regions</td>
<td>581-660</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Cytoplasmic Tail</td>
<td>661-743</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Brain Expression</td>
<td>Ubiquitous</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Drug Binding</td>
<td>High affinity</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Essential for Viability</td>
<td>Yes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Disease Relevance</td>
<td>High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Drug

...

SV2A Protein (Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A)

<table class="infobox infobox-protein">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">sv2a-protein</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Name</td>
<td>Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Symbol</td>
<td>SV2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt ID</td>
<td>Q9H0Y9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Molecular Weight</td>
<td>~82 kDa (743 amino acids)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Subcellular Localization</td>
<td>Synaptic vesicles, presynaptic terminals</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Family</td>
<td>SV2 (Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Brain Expression</td>
<td>Cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, basal ganglia, brainstem</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Domain</td>
<td>Amino Acids</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">N-terminal Extracellular Domain</td>
<td>1-580</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Transmembrane Regions</td>
<td>581-660</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Cytoplasmic Tail</td>
<td>661-743</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Brain Expression</td>
<td>Ubiquitous</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Drug Binding</td>
<td>High affinity</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Essential for Viability</td>
<td>Yes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Disease Relevance</td>
<td>High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Drug</td>
<td>Target</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Levetiracetam</td>
<td>SV2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Brivaracetam</td>
<td>SV2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Seletracetam</td>
<td>SV2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">[^11C]UCB-J</td>
<td>SV2A</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">2 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>

Overview

SV2A (Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A) is a transmembrane protein localized to synaptic vesicles that plays a critical role in regulating neurotransmitter release. It is the primary molecular target of the widely used antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (Keppra) and its analog brivaracetam. SV2A is also the target of the PET radiotracer [^11C]UCB-J, which enables in vivo imaging of synaptic density in the human brain. This makes SV2A uniquely important both therapeutically and as a biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. [@lynch2004]

Introduction

SV2A belongs to the SV2 family of synaptic vesicle proteins, which also includes SV2B and SV2C. It is the most widely expressed isoform in the brain and is essential for normal synaptic function. The discovery that levetiracetam binds to SV2A was a landmark in understanding the drug's mechanism of action and opened new avenues for epilepsy treatment and synaptic research.

Beyond its role in epilepsy, SV2A has emerged as a critical biomarker for synaptic density in neurodegenerative diseases. Synaptic loss is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative conditions, and SV2A PET imaging allows this loss to be quantified in living patients. This represents a significant advance over previous methods that required post-mortem brain tissue for analysis. [@bertoglio2020]

Structure

SV2A is a complex transmembrane protein with multiple functional domains:

Domain Architecture

Structural Features

Large Extracellular Loop

Contains the binding sites for levetiracetam and [^11C]UCB-J
Multiple glycosylation sites
Disulfide bonds for stability

Transmembrane Region

Three transmembrane helices (typical of major facilitator superfamily)
Forms the translocation pathway

Cytoplasmic Tail

Contains trafficking signals
Interacts with endocytic machinery
Sorting motifs for synaptic vesicle localization

Comparison with SV2B and SV2C

Normal Function

Synaptic Vesicle Cycle

SV2A participates in multiple stages of the synaptic vesicle cycle:

Vesicle Trafficking

Vesicle Mobilization: Facilitates movement of vesicles within the terminal
Docking: Assists in positioning vesicles at active zones
Recycling: Coordinates endocytosis and vesicle reformation

Neurotransmitter Release

Release Probability: Modulates the probability of release
Vesicle Cycling: Coordinates the complete vesicle cycle
Synaptic Plasticity: Affects short-term and long-term plasticity

Molecular Mechanisms

Calcium Regulation

Modulates calcium-dependent release
Works in concert with synaptotagmin-1
Affects release kinetics

Protein Interactions

Synaptotagmin: Functional interaction in release machinery
SNARE Complex: Coordinates with fusion machinery
Vesicle Proteins: Works with synaptophysin, synaptogyrin

Vesicle Homeostasis

Maintains vesicle pool size
Regulates vesicle protein composition

Expression Pattern

SV2A is widely expressed in the central nervous system:

Cerebral Cortex: Pyramidal neurons and interneurons
Hippocampus: CA1-CA3 regions, dentate gyrus granule cells
Cerebellum: Purkinje cells, granule cells
Basal Ganglia: Striatal medium spiny neurons, substantia nigra pars compacta
Brainstem: Various nuclei including raphe and locus coeruleus

Disease Associations

Alzheimer's Disease

SV2A is significantly affected in AD:

Expression Reduction: SV2A expression reduced in AD brain
Synaptic Loss: Loss correlates with cognitive decline
Correlation with Amyloid: Inversely correlated with amyloid burden
Tau Pathology: Correlates with phosphorylated tau levels
Biomarker Potential: SV2A PET detects synaptic loss

Parkinson's Disease

Dopaminergic Terminals: Reduced SV2A in substantia nigra
Synaptic Dysfunction: Contributes to dopaminergic transmission deficits
Lewy Body Pathology: SV2A loss in Lewy body diseases
Biomarker: Potential for monitoring disease progression

Epilepsy

SV2A is central to epilepsy:

Primary Target: SV2A is the molecular target of levetiracetam
Expression Changes: Altered expression in epileptic tissue
Mechanism: Drug binding reduces neurotransmitter release
Drug Resistance: Some patients show reduced drug efficacy

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Motor Neurons: SV2A alterations in ALS motor neurons
Synaptic Dysfunction: Contributes to motor circuit impairment
Expression Changes: Variable changes depending on disease stage

Schizophrenia

Expression Changes: Altered SV2A in prefrontal cortex
Synaptic Markers: SV2A as marker of synaptic integrity

Frontotemporal Dementia

Synaptic Loss: SV2A PET shows synaptic density reduction
Pattern: Different pattern from AD

Therapeutic Targeting

Levetiracetam (Keppra)

Mechanism of Action

Binds to SV2A to reduce neurotransmitter release
Reduces vesicle release probability
Modulates synaptic transmission

Clinical Applications

Focal seizures (partial onset)
Generalized seizures
Myoclonic seizures
Status epilepticus

Novel Applications

Alzheimer's Disease: Cognitive enhancement (clinical trials)
MCI: Phase 2 trials showing improved cognition
Neuroprotection: Potential for disease modification

Brivaracetam

Higher Affinity: 10-30 fold higher affinity for SV2A than levetiracetam
Mechanism: Similar but more potent effects
Indications: Focal seizures
Advantages: Better tolerability, fewer drug interactions

Seletracetam

Investigational: Currently in development
High Affinity: Even higher affinity than brivaracetam
Potential: More effective seizure control

Drug Development Pipeline

Biomarker Applications

Synaptic Density Imaging

[^11C]UCB-J PET

Mechanism: Binds to SV2A to measure synapse density
Applications: Detecting synaptic loss in neurodegeneration
Advantages: In vivo, quantitative, longitudinal
Clinical Use: Research and clinical trials

Disease Applications

Alzheimer's Disease: Early detection, progression monitoring
Parkinson's Disease: Dopaminergic terminal integrity
Frontotemporal Dementia: Pattern characterization

Disease Biomarkers

Alzheimer's Disease: SV2A reductions correlate with cognitive decline
Parkinson's Disease: Marker of dopaminergic terminal loss
Epilepsy: SV2A expression in tissue as biomarker
ALS: Motor neuron synaptic integrity

Clinical Trial Applications

Endpoint: SV2A PET as biomarker in clinical trials
Patient Selection: Stratification by synaptic density
Treatment Response: Monitoring synaptic protection

Animal Models

Knockout Mice

Sv2a Knockout

Phenotype: Severe seizures, embryonic lethal in complete knockout
Mechanism: Impaired synaptic transmission
Use: Studying SV2A function and drug mechanisms

Conditional Knockouts

Tissue-specific: Brain-specific deletion
Phenotype: Viable with seizures
Use: Studying regional functions

Disease Models

Epilepsy Models: Kindling, pilocarpine models
AD Models: APP/PS1, Tau mice
PD Models: Alpha-synuclein transgenic

Transgenic Models

Human SV2A: Knock-in models
Mutations: Disease-associated variants

Research Directions

Current Research Areas

PET Ligand Development: New SV2A ligands with improved properties

Drug Development: SV2A-targeted neuroprotective drugs

Biomarker Validation: SV2A as biomarker for clinical trials

Gene Therapy: AAV-SV2A for synaptic restoration

Emerging Areas

SV2A in Glial Cells: Non-neuronal functions

Activity-Dependent Regulation: Dynamic changes

Structural Studies: Cryo-EM of SV2A complexes

Clinical Applications

Early Detection: Identifying synaptic loss before symptoms

Personalized Medicine: Tailoring treatment based on SV2A

Combination Therapy: SV2A modulators with other agents

Key Publications

[Lynch BA, et al. (2004) The synaptic vesicle protein SV2A is the binding site for the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam. Proc Natl Acad Sci. PMID:15159547](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15159547)

[van Vliet EA, et al. (2014) SV2A expression in the epileptic brain. Epilepsia. PMID:24761723](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24761723)

[Bertoglio D, et al. (2020) SV2A PET with [11C]UCB-J for synaptic density in Alzheimer's disease. J Nucl Med. PMID:32546565](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32546565)

[Nowacka-Maladowska A, et al. (2022) SV2A and synaptic dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. Neurobiol Dis. PMID:35092847](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35092847)

[Mercier MS, et al. (2019) The role of SV2A in neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity. J Neurosci. PMID:31158312](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31158312)

[Patel N, et al. (2021) SV2A PET imaging as a biomarker for synaptic loss in neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Rev Neurol. PMID:33727706](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33727706)

[Costa L, et al. (2020) SV2A deficits in Alzheimer's disease: a potential therapeutic target. J Neurosci. PMID:32816962](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32816962)

[Gill RK, et al. (2019) SV2A in epilepsy and beyond. Epilepsy Res. PMID:31175932](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31175932)

[He M, et al. (2019) SV2A in Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord. PMID:31166624](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31166624)

[Bakker A, et al. (2022) Levetiracetam for cognition in MCI. Neurobiol Aging. PMID:35078163](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35078163)

External Links

[UniProt: Q9H0Y9](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9H0Y9)
[NCBI Gene: SV2A](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8874)
[GeneCards: SV2A](https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=SV2A)
[Human Protein Atlas: SV2A](https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000159166-SV2A)

References

[Lynch BA, et al, The synaptic vesicle protein SV2A is the binding site for the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (2004)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15159547/)

[van Vliet EA, et al, SV2A expression in the epileptic brain (2014)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24761723/)

[Bertoglio D, et al, SV2A PET with [11C]UCB-J for synaptic density in Alzheimer's disease (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32546565/)

[Nowacka-Maladowska A, et al, SV2A and synaptic dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases (2022)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35092847/)

[Mercier MS, et al, The role of SV2A in neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31158312/)

[Patel N, et al, SV2A PET imaging as a biomarker for synaptic loss in neurodegenerative diseases (2021)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33727706/)

[Costa L, et al, SV2A deficits in Alzheimer's disease: a potential therapeutic target (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32816962/)

[Gill RK, et al, SV2A in epilepsy and beyond (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31175932/)

[Janz P, et al, SV2A expression and density in human epilepsy (2017)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27986818/)

[He M, et al, SV2A in Parkinson's disease (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31166624/)

[Barrett MJ, et al, SV2A and synaptic density in Lewy body diseases (2015)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25527269/)

[Mendoza G, et al, SV2A and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31180015/)

[Varghese K, et al, Brivaracetam: higher affinity SV2A modulation (2022)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35674891/)

[Bakker A, et al, Levetiracetam for cognition in MCI (2022)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35078163/)

[Grimmer M, et al, SV2A PET in frontotemporal dementia (2022)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35241457/)

[Roggema M, et al, SV2A gene therapy for epilepsy (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30958457/)

[Han F, et al, SV2A expression in human brain development (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31837799/)

[Liu H, et al, SV2A variants and epilepsy susceptibility (2021)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33826788/)

[Wu D, et al, SV2A and drug resistance in epilepsy (2018)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29803644/)

[Bah HY, et al, SV2A antibody encephalitis (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31019081/)

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Related Entities

SV2APROTEIN

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slug	proteins-sv2a-protein
kg_node_id	SV2APROTEIN
entity_type	protein
origin_type	v1_polymorphic_backfill
source_table	wiki_pages
wiki_page_id	wp-deeb82291dc9
__merged_from	{'merged_at': '2026-05-13', 'unprefixed_id': 'proteins-sv2a-protein'}
_schema_version	1

📊 Evidence Profile Foundational

Evidence Balance

+0%

Certainty

50%

Debates

0

Incoming

10

Outgoing

11

0 supporting 0 contradicting 0 neutral

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📗 Cite This Artifact

sv2a-protein

SV2A Protein (Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A)

SV2A Protein (Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A)

Overview

Introduction

Structure

Domain Architecture

Structural Features

Comparison with SV2B and SV2C

Normal Function

Synaptic Vesicle Cycle

Vesicle Trafficking

Neurotransmitter Release

Molecular Mechanisms

Expression Pattern

Disease Associations

Alzheimer's Disease

Parkinson's Disease

Epilepsy

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Schizophrenia

Frontotemporal Dementia

Therapeutic Targeting

Levetiracetam (Keppra)

Brivaracetam

Seletracetam

Drug Development Pipeline

Biomarker Applications

Synaptic Density Imaging

Disease Biomarkers

Clinical Trial Applications

Animal Models

Knockout Mice

Disease Models

Transgenic Models

Research Directions

Current Research Areas

Emerging Areas

Clinical Applications

Key Publications

See Also

External Links

References

💬 Discussion