Tumor relevant protein functional interactions identified using bipartite graph analyses

An increased surge of -omics data for the diseases such as cancer allows for deriving insights into the affiliated protein interactions. We used bipartite network principles to build protein functional associations of the differentially regulated genes in 18 cancer types. This approach allowed us to combine expression data to functional associations in many cancers simultaneously. Further, graph centrality measures suggested the importance of upregulated genes such as BIRC5, UBE2C, BUB1B, KIF20A and PTH1R in cancer. Pathway analysis of the high centrality network nodes suggested the importance of the upregulation of cell cycle and replication associated proteins in cancer. Some of the downregulated high centrality proteins include actins, myosins and ATPase subunits. Among the transcription factors, mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCMs) and E2F family proteins appeared prominently in regulating many differentially regulated genes. The projected unipartite networks of the up and downregulated genes were comprised of 37,411 and 41,756 interactions, respectively. The conclusions obtained by collating these interactions revealed pan-cancer as well as subtype specific protein complexes and clusters. Therefore, we demonstrate that incorporating expression data from multiple cancers into bipartite graphs validates existing cancer associated mechanisms as well as directs to novel interactions and pathways.