Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

NDUFA2

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit A2

translation score 0.59, read 2026-10-17; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
no genetic evidence; overall 0.32 from other evidence0.00
cell type
Human Protein Atlas
expressed broadly, no clear home in brain cells0.40
chemistry
Open Targets
compounds already reach it: me-344, metformin, metformin hydrochloride1.00
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
4 Parkinson's trials, 0 stopped1.00
literature
PubMed
1 Parkinson's papers of 570.91
pathways
Reactome
3 pathways; mostly mitochondrial quality control1.00
proposal for NDUFA2, translation score 0.59

Knock down and overexpress NDUFA2 in a dopamine neuron, astrocyte and microglia tri-culture; measure PINK1–parkin mitophagy flux (mt-Keima) and phospho-ubiquitin (pS65-Ub) and dopamine neuron survival after α-synuclein fibril challenge.

Cell type
a dopamine neuron, astrocyte and microglia tri-culture
Direction
Both arms: public data does not say which way helps; existing compounds already reach the inhibition arm.
Molecular readout
PINK1–parkin mitophagy flux (mt-Keima) and phospho-ubiquitin (pS65-Ub)
Functional readout
dopamine neuron survival after α-synuclein fibril challenge
Rule-out
If neither arm moves PINK1–parkin mitophagy flux (mt-Keima) 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 NDUFA2 in a tri-culture of iPSC dopamine neurons, astrocytes and microglia; n = 3 differentiations; readouts: PINK1–parkin mitophagy flux (mt-Keima) and phospho-ubiquitin (pS65-Ub); dopamine neuron survival after α-synuclein fibril challenge. Controls: non-targeting guide, empty vector. About 8 to 10 weeks, most of it differentiation.

Sealed predictions

  1. NDUFA2 in dopamine neurons, braak+0.13 (p 0.733) → +0.11 (p 0.779)receipt 1135

Swarm cases

receipt 1135: NDUFA2 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample +0.10 (p 0.690, n 18), 95% CI -0.38 to +0.54. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: +0.09 (p 0.715, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: +0.12 (p 0.640, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range +0.04 to +0.25, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors +0.10 (p 0.690, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for NDUFA2 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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