Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

NDUFAF2

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase complex assembly factor 2

translation score 0.67, read 2026-10-17; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
genetic association 0.36 (overall 0.37)0.36
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
6 Parkinson's papers of 520.74
pathways
Reactome
1 pathway; mostly mitochondrial quality control1.00
proposal for NDUFAF2, translation score 0.67

Knock down and overexpress NDUFAF2 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 NDUFAF2 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. NDUFAF2 in dopamine neurons, braak+0.78 (p 0.014) → +0.12 (p 0.756)receipt 0811

Swarm cases

receipt 0811: NDUFAF2 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample +0.52 (p 0.026, n 18), 95% CI +0.07 to +0.80. the interval excludes zero: something may be there, smaller than a half can see.
confounder
adjusted for sex: +0.58 (p 0.013, n 18). holds up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: +0.58 (p 0.012, n 18). not the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range +0.46 to +0.64, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors +0.52 (p 0.026, n 18). robust.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for NDUFAF2 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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