Network analysis reveals functional cross-links between disease and inflammation genes

Sci Rep. 2013 Dec 5:3:3426. doi: 10.1038/srep03426.

Abstract

Connections between inflammation and diseases are suggested important in understanding the genetic mechanisms of diseases. However, studies on the functional cross-links between inflammation and disease genes are still in their early stages. We integrated the protein-protein interaction (PPI), inflammation genes, and gene-disease associations to construct a disease-inflammation network (DIN). We found that nodes, which are both inflammation and disease genes (namely inter-genes), are topologically important in the DIN structure. Via mapping inter-genes to PPI, we classified diseases into two categories, which are significantly different in Intimacy measuring the contribution of inflammation genes to the connections between disease pairs. Furthermore, we constructed a cross-talking subpathways network. As indicated, the cross-subpathway analysis shows great performance in capturing higher-level relationship among inflammation and disease processes. Collectively, The network-based analysis provides us a rather promising insight into the intricate relationship between inflammation and disease genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cluster Analysis
  • Computational Biology / methods*
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Genetic Association Studies*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / genetics*
  • Inflammation / metabolism*
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Protein Interaction Maps
  • Signal Transduction