A Model for the Epigenetic Switch Linking Inflammation to Cell Transformation: Deterministic and Stochastic Approaches
Figure 11
Effect of ceRNA binding to Let-7 microRNA on the dynamics of a heterogeneous cell population.
Levels of expression of Let-7 vs IL6 are illustrated in a cell population without ceRNA, VSCERNA = 0 in A; with a low level of ceRNA, VSCERNA = 0.1 in B; and with a higher level of ceRNA, VSCERNA = 0.2 in C. 100 cells are considered in the simulations with 10% of random variation from the default value on all parameters. (A) In the absence of ceRNA, the cell population is mainly in a non-transformed state characterized by high levels of Let-7 and low levels of IL6. (B) A low level of ceRNA generates a mix population of transformed and non-transformed cells. (C) In the presence of a higher level of ceRNA, nearly all cells switched to a transformed state (low levels of Let-7 together with high levels of IL6). Default parameter values are as in Table 2 with VSLET7 = 6 and Src = 0.000001. Let-7 and IL6 levels are calculated after 50 h of transient.