Sensitivity analysis of Wnt Signaling Pathway

Wnt pathway plays a vital role in embryonic and early development, cell differentiation, cell polarity generation, stem cell maintenance, tissue repair, tissue development, and in cancer initiation. A group of proteins regulate the level of β-catenin inside the cell. Disregulation of this pathway becomes a cause of many human diseases like bone diseases and colorectal cancer. In this paper modal analysis is carried out for an existing mathematical model of Wnt Pathway. By modal analysis, time constants of proteins or protein complexes are calculated, states which do not satisfy the required criteria, have been proposed to be ignored for further analysis. Sensitivity analysis for this Pathway is conducted to identify most effective (hence important) parameters, for which the system´s response is most sensitive. We have carried out different variations in parameters and studied change in the course of concentrations. The sensitivity analysis and simulation studies guide us towards the fact that system output is more sensitive to axin dependent destruction complex rate constant.