Inference of nonlinear gene regulatory networks through optimized ensemble of support vector regression and dynamic Bayesian networks

Comprehensive understanding of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is a major challenge in systems biology. Most methods for modeling and inferring the dynamics of GRNs, such as those based on state space models, vector autoregressive models and G1DBN algorithm, assume linear dependencies among genes. However, this strong assumption does not make for true representation of time-course relationships across the genes, which are inherently nonlinear. Nonlinear modeling methods such as the S-systems and causal structure identification (CSI) have been proposed, but are known to be statistically inefficient and analytically intractable in high dimensions. To overcome these limitations, we propose an optimized ensemble approach based on support vector regression (SVR) and dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs). The method called SVR-DBN, uses nonlinear kernels of the SVR to infer the temporal relationships among genes within the DBN framework. The two-stage ensemble is further improved by SVR parameter optimization using Particle Swarm Optimization. Results on eight insilico-generated datasets, and two real world datasets of Drosophila Melanogaster and Escherichia Coli, show that our method outperformed the G1DBN algorithm by a total average accuracy of 12%. We further applied our method to model the time-course relationships of ovarian carcinoma. From our results, four hub genes were discovered. Stratified analysis further showed that the expression levels Prostrate differentiation factor and BTG family member 2 genes, were significantly increased by the cisplatin and oxaliplatin platinum drugs; while expression levels of Polo-like kinase and Cyclin B1 genes, were both decreased by the platinum drugs. These hub genes might be potential biomarkers for ovarian carcinoma.