Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

SLC18A2

solute carrier family 18 member A2

translation score 0.58, read 2026-10-17; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
no genetic evidence; overall 0.44 from other evidence0.00
cell type
Human Protein Atlas
enriched in the midbrain (173 nTPM), where the nigral dopamine neurons sit0.90
chemistry
Open Targets
compounds already reach it: valbenazine tosylate, benzphetamine, dextroamphetamine sulfate +111.00
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
6 Parkinson's trials, 0 stopped1.00
literature
PubMed
52 Parkinson's papers of 1700.48
pathways
Reactome
3 pathways; mostly dopamine synapse1.00
proposal for SLC18A2, translation score 0.58

Knock down and overexpress SLC18A2 in dopamine neurons; measure evoked dopamine release and dopamine transporter uptake 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
evoked dopamine release and dopamine transporter uptake
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 evoked dopamine release 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 SLC18A2 in iPSC-derived midbrain dopamine neurons (FOXA2+, LMX1A+, TH+); n = 3 differentiations; readouts: evoked dopamine release and dopamine transporter uptake; 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. SLC18A2 in dopamine neurons, braak-0.12 (p 0.749) → -0.25 (p 0.514)receipt 0455

In the sealed studies

Swarm cases

receipt 0455: SLC18A2 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample -0.18 (p 0.471, n 18), 95% CI -0.60 to +0.31. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: -0.32 (p 0.194, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: -0.32 (p 0.194, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range -0.32 to -0.07, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors -0.18 (p 0.471, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for SLC18A2 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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