Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

CARS2

cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase 2, mitochondrial

translation score 0.59, read 2026-10-18; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
genetic association 0.38 (overall 0.25)0.38
cell type
Human Protein Atlas
expressed broadly, no clear home in brain cells0.40
chemistry
Open Targets
hard to drug0.00
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
no Parkinson's trials on record: an open field1.00
literature
PubMed
1 Parkinson's papers of 1210.91
pathways
Reactome
1 pathway; mostly mitochondrial quality control1.00
proposal for CARS2, translation score 0.59

Knock down and overexpress CARS2 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.
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 CARS2 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. CARS2 in dopamine neurons, braak+0.08 (p 0.840) → -0.48 (p 0.186)receipt 1708

Swarm cases

receipt 1708: CARS2 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample -0.24 (p 0.341, n 18), 95% CI -0.63 to +0.26. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: -0.24 (p 0.341, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: -0.34 (p 0.170, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range -0.36 to -0.14, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors -0.24 (p 0.341, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for CARS2 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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