BCN MedTech, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08018 Barcelona, Spain.
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
Bioinformatics. 2021 Jun 9;37(9):1246-1253. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa939.
MOTIVATION: Low back pain is responsible for more global disability than any other condition. Its incidence is closely related to intervertebral disc (IVD) failure, which is likely caused by an accumulation of microtrauma within the IVD. Crucial factors in microtrauma development are not entirely known yet, probably because their exploration in vivo or in vitro remains tremendously challenging. In silico modelling is, therefore, definitively appealing, and shall include approaches to integrate influences of multiple cell stimuli at the microscale. Accordingly, this study introduces a hybrid Agent-based (AB) model in IVD research and exploits network modelling solutions in systems biology to mimic the cellular behaviour of Nucleus Pulposus cells exposed to a 3D multifactorial biochemical environment, based on mathematical integrations of existing experimental knowledge. Cellular activity reflected by mRNA expression of Aggrecan, Collagen type I, Collagen type II, MMP-3 and ADAMTS were calculated for inflamed and non-inflamed cells. mRNA expression over long periods of time is additionally determined including cell viability estimations. Model predictions were eventually validated with independent experimental data. RESULTS: As it combines experimental data to simulate cell behaviour exposed to a multifactorial environment, the present methodology was able to reproduce cell death within 3 days under glucose deprivation and a 50% decrease in cell viability after 7 days in an acidic environment. Cellular mRNA expression under non-inflamed conditions simulated a quantifiable catabolic shift under an adverse cell environment, and model predictions of mRNA expression of inflamed cells provide new explanation possibilities for unexpected results achieved in experimental research. AVAILABILITYAND IMPLEMENTATION: The AB model as well as used mathematical functions were built with open source software. Final functions implemented in the AB model and complete AB model parameters are provided as Supplementary Material. Experimental input and validation data were provided through referenced, published papers. The code corresponding to the model can be shared upon request and shall be reused after proper training. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
动机:腰痛导致的全球残疾比其他任何疾病都多。其发病率与椎间盘(IVD)失效密切相关,IVD 失效可能是由 IVD 内微创伤的积累引起的。微创伤发展的关键因素尚未完全了解,可能是因为它们在体内或体外的研究仍然极具挑战性。因此,计算机模拟绝对是吸引人的,并且应该包括在微观尺度上整合多种细胞刺激的方法。因此,本研究在 IVD 研究中引入了一种混合基于代理的(AB)模型,并利用系统生物学中的网络建模解决方案来模拟暴露于 3D 多因素生化环境的髓核细胞的细胞行为,这是基于对现有实验知识的数学整合。根据 Aggrecan、Collagen type I、Collagen type II、MMP-3 和 ADAMTS 的 mRNA 表达计算炎症和非炎症细胞的细胞活性。还确定了包括细胞活力估计在内的长时间的 mRNA 表达。最终使用独立的实验数据验证了模型预测。
结果:由于该方法结合了实验数据来模拟暴露于多因素环境的细胞行为,因此本方法能够在葡萄糖剥夺的情况下在 3 天内模拟细胞死亡,并在酸性环境中 7 天后模拟细胞活力降低 50%。在非炎症条件下的细胞 mRNA 表达模拟了不利细胞环境下可量化的分解代谢转变,并且炎症细胞的 mRNA 表达的模型预测为实验研究中获得的意外结果提供了新的解释可能性。
可用性和实现:AB 模型以及使用的数学函数均使用开源软件构建。最终在 AB 模型中实现的函数以及 AB 模型的完整参数作为补充材料提供。实验输入和验证数据通过参考文献和已发表的论文提供。可根据要求共享对应模型的代码,并在适当培训后重复使用。
补充信息:补充数据可在 Bioinformatics 在线获取。
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