Network, nodes and nexus: systems approach to multitarget therapeutics

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2013 Dec;24(6):1129-36. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2013.02.009. Epub 2013 Feb 28.

Abstract

Systems biology is revealing multiple layers of regulatory networks that manifest spatiotemporal variations. Since genes and environment also influence the emergent property of a cell, the biological output requires dynamic understanding of various molecular circuitries. The metabolic networks continually adapt and evolve to cope with the changing milieu of the system, which could also include infection by another organism. Such perturbations of the functional networks can result in disease phenotypes, for instance tuberculosis and cancer. In order to develop effective therapeutics, it is important to determine the disease progression profiles of complex disorders that can reveal dynamic aspects and to develop mutitarget systemic therapies that can help overcome pathway adaptations and redundancy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Disease Progression
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Humans
  • Metabolic Networks and Pathways / drug effects*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Phenotype
  • Systems Biology / methods*
  • Tuberculosis / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis / metabolism
  • Tuberculosis / pathology