Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

GRM4

glutamate metabotropic receptor 4

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 brain excitatory neurons (164 nCPM)1.00
chemistry
Open Targets
compounds already reach it: foliglurax0.90
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
5 Parkinson's trials, 3 stopped0.52
literature
PubMed
3 Parkinson's papers of 910.82
pathways
Reactome
3 pathways; mostly dopamine synapse1.00
proposal for GRM4, translation score 0.60

Knock down and overexpress GRM4 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.
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 GRM4 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. GRM4 in dopamine neurons, braak-0.67 (p 0.049) → -0.05 (p 0.893)receipt 3187

Swarm cases

receipt 3187: GRM4 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample -0.36 (p 0.140, n 18), 95% CI -0.71 to +0.13. 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: -0.46 (p 0.054, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range -0.50 to -0.28, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors -0.36 (p 0.140, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for GRM4 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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