Simulation of Swanson's Literature-Based Discovery: Anandamide Treatment Inhibits Growth of Gastric Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Silico

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 6; p. e100436
• Main Authors: Dong, Weiwei, Liu, Yixuan, Zhu, Weijie, Mou, Quan, Wang, Jinliang, Hu, Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 20.06.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Anandamide; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Arachidonic Acids - pharmacology; Cancer; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Computer and Information Sciences; Computer Simulation; Endocannabinoids - pharmacology; Experimentation; Gastric cancer; Hospitals; Humans; Hypotheses; Information science; Literature Based Discovery - methods; Medical Subject Headings; Medicine and Health Sciences; MEDLINE; Oncology; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - pharmacology; Psychology; Science; Stomach cancer; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Stomach Neoplasms - psychology; Subject heading schemes; Tumors
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100436

Swanson's literature-based discovery focus on resurrecting previously published but neglected knowledge. In this study, we propose a two-step model of the discovery process and generate a hypothesis between anandamide and gastric cancer. Further, the potential relationship was confirmed by follow-up experimentation. The anandamide treatment resulted in cell cycle redistribution of gastric cancer cells. Most importantly, the variation of cell cycle was mediated by some genes from the B-terms of the closed discovery, indicating the potential role of the B-terms. Swanson's literature-based discovery not only collates data for possible interactions, but also provides the potential to observe the larger background behind these direct links and is an invaluable discovery tool for investigators.