The closed-loop pathways of signaling molecules

Abstract

The pathways of signaling molecules are important to understanding how signaling molecules regulate physiological function and also in predicting the pathological development which is important to therapeutic strategy, however the thorough knowledge of these pathways is still lack. In this paper, we used the big data concept to analyze the pathways of signaling molecules and categorize these molecules into five groups according to their origin and effect on the five organs of heart-spleen-lung-kidney-liver. Heart group includes IGF, Ang and Mg; spleen group includes ANP, aldosterone, retinoic acid and ghrelin; lung group includes FGF7, VEGF, ascorbic acid and HIF; kidney group includes calcitonin, PTHrP, Wnt and NO; and liver group includes EPO, renin, SOD, AKR and GSH. We found that each group of molecules have assisting effect on the other organ in the order of heart-spleen-lung-kidney-liver-heart, and have regulating effect on the other organ in the order of heart-lung-liver-spleen-kidney-heart. Moreover, the pathways of molecules of each group also follow these two arrangements, in which the pathways of molecules form a closed-loop that may lead to new therapeutic strategies.