Disease map is a collection of interconnected signalling, metabolic and gene regulatory pathways relevant to a particular disease. Disease mechanisms are depicted on the level of molecular processes and represented in standard computer-readable formats.

The involvement of domain experts ensures the highest quality of knowledge representation.

Diagrams are visualised in Systems Biology Process Description standard (SBGN, www.sbgn.org) and stored in SBGN-ML format. SBGN-ML file can be transformed into System Biology Markup Language format (SBML, www.sbml.org) via SBGN-specific editors (for example SBGN-ED. Two of three SBGN languages are employed: SBGN Process Description language for detailed representation and SBGN Activity Flow language for less detailed compact representation. In future maps will be available also in BioPAX format.

U-BIOPRED AsthmaMap

U-BIOPRED AsthmaMap is a consensus community-driven reconstruction of asthma mechanisms. This collection of interconnected asthma-relevant pathways includes 22 cell types, > 50 receptors and their signaling pathways and > 1,000 proteins and metabolites associated with asthma pathogenesis. AsthmaMap is designed to be applied for disease phenotyping based on clinical and multi-omics data from asthma studies and also can be used as a knowledge resource and teaching aid. It is the first knowledge base that collects and integrates known molecular processes involved in asthma. While being complementary to other pathway analysis solutions, AsthmaMap enables multiple 'omics data visualisation and interpretation in the asthma-specific context.

Multi-omics data representation

Merging multiple 'omics datasets on the basis of mechanistic pathway information is a continuously evolving approach for uncovering genotype-phenotype relationships. Multi-omics signature are derived from the U-BIOPRED blood handprint analysis (De Meulder et al, ERS International Congress 2015) and visualised through Google Maps API using MINERVA platform. Differences in gene expression and eicosanoids levels between two phenotypic clusters are mapped. Those clusters contain the most severe asthmatic patients in the U-BIOPRED data. Different profiles of PGD2 derivatives and isoprostanes are shown, suggesting different routes of treatment for those patients. Moreover, the regulation of the leukotriene metabolism is highlighted, suggesting 5-lipoxygenase and arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein or downstream LTC4 synthase and LTA4 hydrolase as drug targets.

Multi-omics data visualization.

Disclaimer

The Disease Maps modules are offered to the public as freely available resources, for non-comercial use.

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We would be happy to hear from your experience and for feedback, any issues/ suggestions on this, please contact us by email to amazein@eisbm.org.