Embedding-Based Comparison of Reaction Networks of Wnt Signaling

Abstract

This work introduces a new method for comparing two reaction networks of the same or closely related systems through their embedded networks in terms of the shared set of species. Hence, we call this method the Common Species Embedded Networks (CSEN) analysis. Using this approach, we conduct a comparison of existing reaction networks associated with Wnt signaling models (Lee, Schmitz, MacLean, and Feinberg) that we have identified. The analysis yields three important results for these Wnt models. First, the CSEN analysis of the Lee (mono-stationary) and Feinberg (multi-stationary) shows a strong similarity, justifying the study of the Feinberg model, which was a modified Lee model constructed to study an important network property called ``concordance''. It also challenge the absoluteness of discrimination of the models into mono-stationarity versus multi-stationarity, which is a main result of Maclean et al. (PNAS USA 2015). Second, the CSEN analysis provides evidence supporting a strong similarity between the Schmitz and MacLean models, as indicated by the ``proximate equivalence'' that we have identified. Third, the analysis underscores the absence of a comparable relationship between the Feinberg and MacLean models, highlighting distinctive differences between the two. Thus, our approach could be a useful tool to compare mathematical models of the same or closely related systems.