Scnn1a, which encodes the α -subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (α -ENaC), plays a crucial role in regulating sodium absorption in epithelial tissues, such as those in the kidney, lung, and colon. This process is essential for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, blood pressure regulation, and normal organ function [2,5,6]. Dysregulation of Scnn1a can disrupt these physiological processes, leading to various health issues.

In terms of disease associations, mutations in Scnn1a can cause Liddle syndrome, an autosomal-dominant monogenic disease characterized by early-onset hypertension, hypokalaemia, and metabolic alkalosis [2]. Additionally, Scnn1a has been implicated in several cancers. In ovarian cancer, its overexpression is correlated with poor prognosis and immune cell infiltration, and it may play a role in cell growth, invasion, and migration through regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transformation [1,4]. In pancreatic cancer, Scnn1a overexpression is associated with TP53 mutation and unfavorable prognosis, and it exerts oncogenic functions by accelerating cellular growth and metastasis [3]. In triple-negative breast cancer, high Scnn1a expression is associated with poor prognosis and non-pathological complete response status following neoadjuvant chemotherapy [9]. A novel mutation in Scnn1a has also been found in a patient with autosomal-recessive pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 [5], and SNPs in Scnn1a may be associated with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, particularly in term infants [8]. miR-95 promotes osteosarcoma growth by targeting Scnn1a [7].

In conclusion, Scnn1a is vital for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance through its role in sodium absorption. Its dysregulation, whether through mutation or altered expression, is associated with various diseases, including monogenic hypertension, pseudohypoaldosteronism, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, and multiple types of cancer. Understanding the function of Scnn1a through genetic models could potentially lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these conditions.