Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

PRKAA2

protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 2

translation score 0.58, 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
expressed broadly, no clear home in brain cells0.40
chemistry
Open Targets
compounds already reach it: acadesine0.90
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
no Parkinson's trials on record: an open field1.00
literature
PubMed
1 Parkinson's papers of 2510.91
pathways
Reactome
12 pathways; mostly lysosome and autophagy1.00
proposal for PRKAA2, translation score 0.58

Knock down and overexpress PRKAA2 in a dopamine neuron, astrocyte and microglia tri-culture; measure glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity and LC3-II and p62 flux 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.
Molecular readout
glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity and LC3-II and p62 flux
Functional readout
dopamine neuron survival after α-synuclein fibril challenge
Rule-out
If neither arm moves glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity 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 PRKAA2 in a tri-culture of iPSC dopamine neurons, astrocytes and microglia; n = 3 differentiations; readouts: glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity and LC3-II and p62 flux; 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. PRKAA2 in dopamine neurons, braak+0.59 (p 0.098) → +0.20 (p 0.597)receipt 7578

Swarm cases

receipt 7578: PRKAA2 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample +0.27 (p 0.273, n 18), 95% CI -0.22 to +0.66. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: +0.23 (p 0.365, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: +0.36 (p 0.140, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range +0.19 to +0.41, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors +0.27 (p 0.273, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for PRKAA2 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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