No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

This paper treats intervention via external control variables in context-sensitive PBNs by extending the results for instantaneously random PBNs in several directions. First, and most importantly, whereas an instantaneously random PBN yields a Markov chain whose state space is composed of gene vectors, each state of the Markov chain corresponding to a context-sensitive PBN is composed of a pair, the current gene vector occupied by the network and the current constituent Boolean network. Second, the analysis is applied to PBNs with perturbation, meaning that random gene perturbation is permitted at each instant with some probability. Third, the (mathematical) influence of genes within the network is used to choose the particular gene with which to intervene. Lastly, PBNs are designed from data using a recently proposed inference procedure that takes steady-state considerations into account. The results are applied to a context-sensitive PBN derived from gene-expression data collected in a study of metastatic melanoma, the intent being to devise a control strategy that reduces the WNT5A gene's action in affecting biological regulation, since the available data suggest that disruption of this influence could reduce the chance of a melanoma metastasizing.

No abstract

External control of a genetic regulatory network is used for the purpose of avoiding undesirable states, such as those associated with disease. Heretofore, intervention has focused on finite-horizon control, i.e., control over a small number of stages. This paper considers the design of optimal infinitehorizon control for context-sensitive probabilistic Boolean networks (PBNs). It can also be applied to instantaneously random PBNs. The stationary policy obtained is independent of time and dependent on the current state. We concentrate on discounted problems with bounded cost per stage and on average-costper-stage problems. These formulations are used to generate stationary policies for a PBN constructed from melanoma geneexpression data. The results show that the stationary policies obtained by the two different formulations are capable of shifting the probability mass of the stationary distribution from undesirable states to desirable ones.

The software and supplementary material is available at http://gsp.tamu.edu/Publications/BNs/bn.htm