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Updated: Dec 25, 2025

A Three-Dimensional Spheroid Model to Investigate the Tumor-Stromal Interaction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: September 30, 2021
Addressing the heterogeneity in liver diseases using biological networks
Simon Lam1, Stephen Doran1, Hatice Hilal Yuksel1
1Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom; Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-17121, Sweden.
Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) help understand how metabolic changes drive diseases like cancer and liver disease. These models aid in discovering new drug targets and biomarkers for better treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic Engineering
- Systems Biology
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Metabolic abnormalities are linked to complex diseases, including cancers.
- Understanding metabolic reprogramming is key to elucidating disease etiology.
- Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) are crucial for connecting metabolic changes to disease development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the use of GEMs in understanding metabolic reprogramming in liver disease.
- To highlight GEM applications in identifying metabolic changes, stratifying disease populations, and discovering drug targets/biomarkers.
- To discuss integrating GEMs with other biological networks and network analyses for treatment strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on cell/tissue-type and cancer-specific GEM reconstruction.
- Analysis of GEM applications in liver disease research.
- Discussion of network integration and biological network analyses.
Main Results:
- GEMs are effective tools for identifying metabolic alterations in liver disease.
- GEMs facilitate disease stratification and the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
- Integration of GEMs with other networks enhances model comprehensiveness.
Conclusions:
- GEMs provide valuable insights into metabolic reprogramming in liver disease.
- GEMs support the development of targeted therapies and biomarkers.
- Network-based approaches using GEMs are crucial for advancing treatment strategies.
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