Dynamic tracking of functional gene modules in treated juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Background We have previously shown that childhood-onset rheumatic diseases show aberrant patterns of gene expression that reflect pathology-associated co-expression networks. In this study, we used novel computational approaches to examine how disease-associated networks are altered in one of the most common rheumatic diseases of childhood, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods Using whole blood gene expression profiles derived from children in a pediatric rheumatology clinical trial, we used a network approach to understanding the impact of therapy and the underlying biology of response/non-response to therapy. Results We demonstrate that therapy for JIA is associated with extensive re-ordering of gene expression networks, even in children who respond inadequately to therapy. Furthermore, we observe distinct differences in the evolution of specific network properties when we compare children who have been treated successfully with those who have inadequate treatment response. Conclusions Despite the inherent noisiness of whole blood gene expression data, our findings demonstrate how therapeutic response might be mapped and understood in pathologically informative cells in a broad range of human inflammatory diseases.