Large-scale analysis of network bistability for human cancers

PLoS Comput Biol. 2010 Jul 8;6(7):e1000851. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000851.

Abstract

Protein-protein interaction and gene regulatory networks are likely to be locked in a state corresponding to a disease by the behavior of one or more bistable circuits exhibiting switch-like behavior. Sets of genes could be over-expressed or repressed when anomalies due to disease appear, and the circuits responsible for this over- or under-expression might persist for as long as the disease state continues. This paper shows how a large-scale analysis of network bistability for various human cancers can identify genes that can potentially serve as drug targets or diagnosis biomarkers.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Computational Biology / methods*
  • Drug Discovery
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor