Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

KCNG4

potassium voltage-gated channel modifier subfamily G member 4

translation score 0.56, read 2026-10-21; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
no genetic evidence; overall 0.06 from other evidence0.00
cell type
Human Protein Atlas
cell type enriched outside the brain (retinal bipolar cells)0.10
chemistry
Open Targets
compounds already reach it: dalfampridine, amifampridine, guanidine hydrochloride +31.00
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
8 Parkinson's trials, 1 stopped0.90
literature
PubMed
no papers tie it to Parkinson's yet1.00
pathways
Reactome
1 pathway; mostly dopamine synapse1.00
proposal for KCNG4, translation score 0.56

Knock down and overexpress KCNG4 in a dopamine neuron, astrocyte and microglia tri-culture; measure evoked dopamine release and dopamine transporter uptake 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; existing compounds already reach the inhibition arm.
Molecular readout
evoked dopamine release and dopamine transporter uptake
Functional readout
dopamine neuron survival after α-synuclein fibril challenge
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 KCNG4 in a tri-culture of iPSC dopamine neurons, astrocytes and microglia; n = 3 differentiations; readouts: evoked dopamine release and dopamine transporter uptake; 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. KCNG4 in dopamine neurons, braak-0.59 (p 0.096) → -0.13 (p 0.739)receipt 4761

Swarm cases

receipt 4761: KCNG4 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample -0.21 (p 0.408, n 18), 95% CI -0.61 to +0.29. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: -0.21 (p 0.408, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: -0.33 (p 0.182, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range -0.35 to -0.11, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors -0.21 (p 0.408, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for KCNG4 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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