Hub nodes in the network of human Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways: Characteristics and potential as drug targets

Proteins involved in the cross-talk between ERK1/2, ERK5, JNK, and P38 signalling pathways integrate the network of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways. Graph theory-based approach is used to construct the network of MAPK pathways, and to observe the network organisational principles. Connectivity pattern reveals rich-club among the hubs, enabling structural ordering. A positive correlation between the degree of the nodes and percentage of essential protein showed hubs are central to the network architecture and function. Furthermore, attributes like connectivity, inter/intra-pathway class, position in the pathway, protein type and subcellular localization of the essential and non-essential proteins are characterizing complex functional roles. Shared properties of 34 cancerous essential proteins lack to be drug targets. We identified the seven nodes overlapping properties of the hub, essential and causing side effects on targeting them. We exploit the strategy of cancerous, non-hub and non-essential proteins as potential drug targets and identified 4EBP1, BAD, CHOP10, GADD45, HSP27, MKP1, RNPK, MLTKa/b, cPLA2, eEF2K and elF4E. We have illustrated the implication of targeting hub nodes and proposed network-based drug targets which would cause less side effect.