GRIK2 encodes the GluR6 kainate receptor subunit, a glutamate-gated ion channel that mediates fast excitatory neurotransmission in the central nervous system 1. The gene undergoes complex alternative splicing, producing multiple transcript variants through cell-type-specific promoters that generate at least five different isoforms differing in their C-terminal domains and transmembrane regions 23. The neuronal promoter (GluR6A) is primarily expressed in brain tissue, while the non-neuronal promoter (GluR6B) is abundant in tumor cell lines, with differential methylation patterns regulating tissue-specific expression 3. Beyond its classical ionotropic glutamate receptor function, GRIK2 has been implicated in diverse physiological processes including muscle hypertrophy memory through epigenetic mechanisms 4. The gene shows disease associations with epilepsy, though linkage studies with idiopathic generalized epilepsies yielded negative results 5. However, GRIK2 represents a promising therapeutic target for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, with gene therapy approaches using AAV9 vectors to reduce GRIK2 expression showing efficacy in reducing seizure frequency and improving cognitive function in preclinical models 6. Additionally, polymorphisms in GRIK2 have been associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder 7 and treatment-emergent suicidal events in depression 8.