Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

OPRL1

opioid related nociceptin receptor 1

translation score 0.60, read 2026-10-19; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
no genetic evidence; overall 0.08 from other evidence0.00
cell type
Human Protein Atlas
cell type enhanced in other brain neurons (12 nCPM)1.00
chemistry
Open Targets
compounds already reach it: sch-486757, ly-2940094, cebranopadol +10.90
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
no Parkinson's trials on record: an open field1.00
literature
PubMed
no papers tie it to Parkinson's yet1.00
pathways
Reactome
2 pathways; mostly other0.30
proposal for OPRL1, translation score 0.60

Knock down and overexpress OPRL1 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 OPRL1 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. OPRL1 in dopamine neurons, braak-0.61 (p 0.084) → -0.36 (p 0.336)receipt 3503

Swarm cases

receipt 3503: OPRL1 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample -0.46 (p 0.052, n 18), 95% CI -0.77 to +0.00. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: -0.46 (p 0.052, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: -0.59 (p 0.011, n 18). not the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range -0.57 to -0.39, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors -0.46 (p 0.052, n 18). robust.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for OPRL1 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

loading the receipts