Boolean network model of oxidative stress response pathways

Abstract

Oxidative stress is a consequence of normal cellular metabolism. The effective functioning of the pathway responding to oxidative stress protects the cellular DNA against oxidative damage and its failure can induce aberrant cellular behaviour leading to diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. Thus, understanding the normal signalling present in oxidative stress response pathways and determining possible signalling alterations leading to disease could provide us with useful pointers for therapeutic purposes. Using knowledge of oxidative stress response pathways from the literature, a Boolean network model is developed whose simulated behaviour is consistent with earlier experimental observations from the literature.