An integrated biological model for interferon signaling pathway and its gene polymorphisms

Abstract

To construct a systemic structural model for interferon (IFN) signaling pathways with gene's single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) information, it is visual to investigate the effects of gene-gene interaction on IFN signaling path-ways. The genes function information was retrieved from Pubmed and Embase database. The IFN signaling pathways were constructed by applying Teranode Design Suite (TDS) biological software. The SNPs information of genes in pathways was retrieved by using SNP Trawler biological software. The biological systemic structural model for IFN signaling pathways, involving in genetic information, particularly their SNPs information, was constructed successfully. It contained JAK-STAT, MAPK-p38 and PI3K pathways, through which IFNs play variable biological roles. Type-I-IFN makes an important role in against viral infection, cell proliferation and immunoregulation by these three pathways. However, the biological activities of type-II-IFN are through JAK-STAT and MAPK-p38 pathways, and type-III-IFN is only through PI3K pathway. These pathways contained 98 genes and 19 693 SNPs information, which consist of a complicate gene-gene interactional network. In conclusion, this software model not only helps us intensively research the effects of SNPs on IFN biological roles and predict IFN therapeutic effect, but also set up a good foundation for translational medicine, discovering new target of drugs and developing new drugs.