Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

CCKAR

cholecystokinin A receptor

translation score 0.56, read 2026-10-23; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
no genetic evidence; overall 0.02 from other evidence0.00
cell type
Human Protein Atlas
enriched in the midbrain (15 nTPM), where the nigral dopamine neurons sit0.90
chemistry
Open Targets
compounds already reach it: ceruletide, sincalide, proglumide +21.00
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
no Parkinson's trials on record: an open field1.00
literature
PubMed
3 Parkinson's papers of 2400.82
pathways
Reactome
2 pathways; mostly other0.30
proposal for CCKAR, translation score 0.56

Knock down and overexpress CCKAR in dopamine neurons; measure a transcriptome-wide state shift (bulk RNA-seq) and survival of TH-positive neurons and phospho-α-synuclein (pS129) inclusions after seeding with α-synuclein fibrils.

Cell type
dopamine neurons
Direction
Both arms: public data does not say which way helps; existing compounds already reach the inhibition arm.
Molecular readout
a transcriptome-wide state shift (bulk RNA-seq)
Functional readout
survival of TH-positive neurons and phospho-α-synuclein (pS129) inclusions after seeding with α-synuclein fibrils
Rule-out
If neither arm moves a transcriptome-wide state shift (bulk RNA-seq) by 20% or more against non-targeting and empty-vector controls, across three independent differentiations, the hypothesis is wrong.
Lab request
CRISPRi knockdown and lentiviral overexpression of CCKAR in iPSC-derived midbrain dopamine neurons (FOXA2+, LMX1A+, TH+); n = 3 differentiations; readouts: a transcriptome-wide state shift (bulk RNA-seq); survival of TH-positive neurons and phospho-α-synuclein (pS129) inclusions after seeding with α-synuclein fibrils. Controls: non-targeting guide, empty vector. About 8 to 10 weeks, most of it differentiation.

Sealed predictions

  1. CCKAR in dopamine neurons, braak-0.01 (p 0.982) → +0.46 (p 0.217)receipt 7729

Swarm cases

receipt 7729: CCKAR in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample +0.21 (p 0.413, n 18), 95% CI -0.29 to +0.61. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: +0.22 (p 0.379, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: -0.04 (p 0.867, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range +0.13 to +0.35, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors +0.21 (p 0.413, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for CCKAR in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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