A systems-based framework for understanding complex metabolic and cardiovascular disorders

Sulin Wu^*, Aldons J. Lusis^*^, and Thomas A. Drake¹^,

^* Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1679

Published, JLR Papers in Press, November 24, 2008.

^¹ To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: TDrake{at}mednet.ucla.edu

ABSTRACT

Common forms of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases involvethe interplay of numerous genes as well as important environmentalfactors. Traditional biochemical and genetic approaches generallyattempt to dissect these diseases one gene at a time, for example,by analysis of Mendelian forms or genetically engineered experimentalorganisms. But, it is also important to understand how the genesinteract with each other and the environment, and how theseinteractions change in disease states. Technological advances,such as the development of expression arrays that allow quantificationof all transcript levels in a cell or tissue, have made it feasibleto globally monitor molecular phenotypes that underlie diseasestates. By applying statistical methods, relationships betweenDNA variation, gene expression patterns, and diseases can bemodeled.

Supplementary key words DNA variation • gene network • complex traits

Add to CiteULike CiteULike Add to Complore Complore Add to Connotea Connotea Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us Add to Digg Digg Add to Reddit Reddit Add to Technorati Technorati What's this?

Related Webpages:

JLR 50th Anniversary Collections

Anniversary Collection::Atherogenesis