Title: The role of Hepatitis C Virus in the dynamic protein interaction networks of hepatocellular cirrhosis and carcinoma

Authors: Tao Huang, Lei Liu, Qi Liu, Guohui Ding, Yejun Tan, Zhidong Tu, Yixue Li, Hongyue Dai, Lu Xie

Addresses: Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China. ' Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China. ' School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China. ' Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China. ' Merck Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 2000, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. ' Merck Research Laboratory, 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ' Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 200235, China. ' Merck Research Laboratory, 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ' Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 200235, China

Abstract: As an important risk factor for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection can induce cirrhosis and HCC. But, the molecular mechanisms of HCV-induced transformation remain largely unknown. In this study, first, we identified the dysfunctional protein interaction networks in cirrhosis and HCC based on the gene expression profiles of 19 normal, 58 cirrhotic and 47 HCC liver tissues. Then, the relationship between dysfunctional networks and HCV infection was analysed. Our results may help understand the mechanisms of HCV-induced malignant transformation and provide clues to cirrhosis and HCC therapy or prevention.

Keywords: HCV infection; hepatitis C virus; hepatocellular cirrhosis; HCC; hepatocellular carcinoma; dynamic networks; protein interaction; gene expression profiles; liver tissues; dysfunctional networks; malignant transformation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCBDD.2011.038654

International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design, 2011 Vol.4 No.1, pp.5 - 18

Received: 26 Oct 2010
Accepted: 27 Nov 2010

Published online: 24 Jan 2015 *

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