Figure 7

Abstract workflow summarizing the different approaches used for the present study. The information from the different pathways (NOTCH, WNT, AD, and apoptosis) was gathered from KEGG pathway (http://www.genome.jp/kegg/pathway.html) to develop the subnetworks. The differential expression of the genes belonging to each subnetwork was analyzed in the cerebellum of autistic patients by using R. A Venn diagram showed common genes/proteins between NOTCH, WNT, AD, and apoptosis pathways. Thereafter, a network model was developed for integrating these subnetworks into one single gene/protein interaction network model (NOWADA network) by using STRING 9.05 and Cytoscape tools. Further elucidation of the topological network properties revealed a number of potential molecular targets or ‘vulnerable’ points of the in silico model and therapeutic agents used in autism targeting central nodes of the network were studied (STITCH 3.1). Finally, a subnetwork representing the interaction between Mg²⁺ and genes/proteins from NOWADA network was constructed and a functional enrichment analysis was performed (DAVID v6.7) to elucidate the biological processes potentially affected by this compound