Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

NDUFAF4

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase complex assembly factor 4

translation score 0.61, read 2026-10-17; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
no genetic evidence; overall 0.31 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: metformin hydrochloride, me-344, metformin1.00
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
4 Parkinson's trials, 0 stopped1.00
literature
PubMed
no papers tie it to Parkinson's yet1.00
pathways
Reactome
1 pathway; mostly mitochondrial quality control1.00
proposal for NDUFAF4, translation score 0.61

Knock down and overexpress NDUFAF4 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; existing compounds already reach the inhibition arm.
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 NDUFAF4 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. NDUFAF4 in dopamine neurons, braak+0.67 (p 0.049) → +0.16 (p 0.685)receipt 1190

Swarm cases

receipt 1190: NDUFAF4 in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample +0.34 (p 0.167, n 18), 95% CI -0.15 to +0.70. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: +0.35 (p 0.153, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: +0.38 (p 0.118, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range +0.27 to +0.50, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors +0.34 (p 0.167, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for NDUFAF4 in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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