Work

Network Topology Similarities Across Cancer Types: Identifying Central Protein Hubs for Drug Discovery

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A molecular-level understanding of cancer is essential for the development of effective therapies. Constructing protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks offers a valuable approach to identifying dysregulated driver genes and potential therapeutic targets. In this study, we modeled cancer PPI networks as metric spaces and applied mathematical and computational algorithms to analyze their structural and functional properties. Our findings reveal that these networks share a conserved architecture across different cancer types, with central zones enriched in essential proteins and critical regulatory pathways. Notably, zones 1 and 2 of the cancer PPI networks are uniquely enriched in specific pathways, underscoring their importance in the progression of cancer. These results highlight the potential of metric-based analysis of PPI networks to uncover key molecular targets and accelerate drug discovery in oncology.

Source: OBM Genetics

DOI: 10.21926/obm.genet.2504312

Author: Emad Fadhal

Institutions: King Faisal University, University of the Western Cape

Language: English

Topic: Bioinformatics and Genomic Networks

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: University of the Western Cape