Bioinformatics analysis of PD

Scientists developed an innovative method named “Expression Data Up-Stream Analysis” (EDUSA) that can perform a bioinformatics analysis to identify and rank upstream processes effectively. We applied it to Parkinson’s disease (PD) using a genomic data set available at a public data repository known as Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). In this study, disease-affected genes were identified using GEO2R software, and disease-pertinent processes were identified using EASE software. Then the EDUSA program was used to determine the upstream versus downstream hierarchy of the processes.

Metabolism pathology was a potential cause of PD

The results confirmed the current misfolded protein theory about the pathogenesis of PD, and provided new insights as well. Particularly, our program discovered that RNA (ribonucleic acid) metabolism pathology was a potential cause of PD, which in fact, is an emerging theory of neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, it was found that the dysfunction of the transport system seemed to occur in the early phase of neurodegeneration, whereas mitochondrial dysfunction appeared at a later stage. Using this methodology, we have demonstrated how to determine the stages of disease development with single-point data collection.

Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928468014000650