Braak stage 1, 100% of pigmented neurons left
parkinsonconnecting

Gene record

TFAP2B

transcription factor AP-2 beta

translation score 0.55, read 2026-10-22; 1 sealed predictions, 0 held; 1 receipts.

Six readers

readerfoundscore
genetics
Open Targets
no genetic evidence; overall 0.04 from other evidence0.00
cell type
Human Protein Atlas
enriched in the midbrain (20 nTPM), where the nigral dopamine neurons sit0.90
chemistry
Open Targets
hard to drug0.00
trials
ClinicalTrials.gov
no Parkinson's trials on record: an open field1.00
literature
PubMed
no papers tie it to Parkinson's yet1.00
pathways
Reactome
5 pathways; mostly protein handling0.90
proposal for TFAP2B, translation score 0.55

Knock down and overexpress TFAP2B in dopamine neurons; measure proteasome activity and the load of ubiquitinated protein 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
proteasome activity and the load of ubiquitinated protein
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 proteasome activity 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 TFAP2B in iPSC-derived midbrain dopamine neurons (FOXA2+, LMX1A+, TH+); n = 3 differentiations; readouts: proteasome activity and the load of ubiquitinated protein; 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. TFAP2B in dopamine neurons, braak-0.02 (p 0.964) → -0.30 (p 0.428)receipt 6275

Swarm cases

receipt 6275: TFAP2B in dopamine neurons, braak

power
full sample -0.21 (p 0.398, n 18), 95% CI -0.62 to +0.28. the interval is wide: not enough donors to tell.
confounder
adjusted for sex: -0.18 (p 0.487, n 18). does not hold up.
composition
dopamine neurons share of nuclei vs axis +0.05 (p 0.854); controlling for it: -0.36 (p 0.137, n 18). could be the mix.
skeptic
leave-one-out range -0.34 to -0.10, sign flips 0; without severely affected donors -0.21 (p 0.398, n 18). fragile.
cell type
no other cell group does better.
axis
no measure beats "tracks Braak Lewy-body stage" for TFAP2B in dopamine neurons.

case closed: nothing better to follow up.

Receipts

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